turmoil
Americannoun
-
a state of great commotion, confusion, or disturbance; tumult; agitation; disquiet.
mental turmoil caused by difficult decisions.
- Synonyms:
- uproar, disorder, turbulence
-
Obsolete. hard labor; toil.
noun
verb
Related Words
See agitation.
Etymology
Origin of turmoil
First recorded in 1520–30; originally as verb: “to agitate”; etymology uncertain; perhaps tur(n) + moil
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 1971, the U.S.-backed Shah of Iran put troops on Abu Musa along with Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb during a period of turmoil sparked by British retreat from the region.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026
A separate source said that local Reform branches "were in turmoil".
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
He said he struggled with the "turmoil" of living a double life, and faced with another three years of service, "couldn't do it".
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
"The industry is underestimating the geopolitical turmoil and geopolitical risk that's ahead," said Mark Brownstein, vice president of the Environmental Defense Fund.
From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026
His face is in a whole different kind of turmoil than usual.
From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
