roil

verb

ˈrȯi(-ə)l How to pronounce roil (audio)
Definition of roilnext
1
as in to swirl
to be in a state of violent rolling motion the waters of the gulf tossed and roiled as the hurricane surged toward the shore

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to anger
to make angry the clerk's brusque refusal of her request roiled her enough to prompt a complaint to his supervisor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of roil Carson knew that Belafonte would address issues then roiling the country that would, that summer, explode into riots. — Joshua Jelly-Schapiro, Vanity Fair, 21 July 2026 When picked, the department’s new top official will inherit a police force roiled by controversy and lawsuits in recent years. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 21 July 2026 Trump hadn’t yet declared war on Iran, but the country was roiling with protests, which had been harshly suppressed. — Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 20 July 2026 After pro-democracy protests roiled the city in 2019, Beijing cracked down on freedom of speech, and restrictions have continued to tighten. — Joshua Yang, Washington Post, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for roil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roil
  1. swirl
  2. anger
  3. churn
  4. infuriate
  5. boil
  6. enrage
  7. seethe
  8. annoy
Verb
  • Now, as fall camp ramps up ahead of the former NFL coach's second season, questions are again swirling about matters away from the field.
    — Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Drums banged, flags swirled in the air and a group of supporters cheered, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Brazilian midfielder.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of swirl
Verb
  • The receptionist angers Kripke and Bert so much that they are picked up by the police — along with Stuart, who had also been arrested.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 31 July 2026
  • The strategy has also angered China, which has demanded that Manila rein in the Coast Guard spokesman who leads it.
    — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of anger
Verb
  • In the churning pool, Max grapples with Tom, who locks him in a stranglehold.
    — JP Mangalindan, Time, 31 July 2026
  • Because the work can churn up mud and sediment that can harm wildlife, the Army Corps consulted federal environmental regulators.
    — Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of churn
Verb
  • Sami Zayn, who had recently lost the title, was visibly infuriated by Owens' unexpected return and victory, even injuring Owens' neck during the intense bout.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • That infuriated Angels fans, of course, since their team has baseball’s longest playoff drought — 12 years, counting this one.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Definition of infuriate
Verb
  • The water plant in Castleton-on-Hudson sustained damage during the flooding, leading to an advisory for local residents to boil their water and reduce water usage, officials said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
  • While many proponents of any AI innovation often lead with some metric on efficiency, such as time and cost saved, Kamimura was not quick to boil all their hard work to a mere number.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 29 July 2026
Definition of boil
Verb
  • Fauci pleaded the Fifth a number of times, which appears to have enraged a lot of people.
    — Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 31 July 2026
  • The only reliable way to reach mainstream or even moderate recognition against all the noise is to either carpet-bomb social media with clips or to enrage wide swaths of the public.
    — Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 30 July 2026
Definition of enrage
Verb
  • Ser Criston Cole, more than perhaps any other character in this story, is seething with resentment.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Relentless, seething power propels you down the strip faster than your body and brain can cope with.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 July 2026
Definition of seethe
Verb
  • Tiesi, appearing to be annoyed, received a video call from him seconds later.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
  • Andreu Martínez of Spain humorously said in July 2024 that the use of squirt guns was to annoy the tourists a bit.
    — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2026
Definition of annoy

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roguishness
roil
roiled
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Cite this Entry

“Roil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roil. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of roil for Spanish Speakers

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