1
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
there was a welter of pushing and shoving as people rushed to grab the best seats for the outdoor concert
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in jumble
an unorganized collection or mixture of various things
a welter of junk in the closet, most of which needed to be thrown out
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in havoc
a state in which everything is out of order
the claim that a troop withdrawal would plunge the country into a welter of anarchy and endless civil war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of welter
John Hopewell, Variety, 12 Oct. 2025
Looming over the welter of domestic problems is typhoon Trump.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 4 Oct. 2025
While Kim guided the Theresa through a welter of charterboats trolling the shoreline for blues and stripers, the brothers sat on the flying bridge, joking and trading stories and scanning the flat empty sea for the black dorsal fin of basking swordfish.
—Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
But that story of rapid growth and incipient liberalization concealed a much more complicated picture: China’s economy consisted of a welter of different actors pursuing different, sometimes contradictory interests.
—Yeling Tan, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
See All Example Sentences for welter
Noun
The welter of Globo international partnerships and deals confirmed on stage on Sunday at Cannes Carlton Hotel by Angela Colla, Globo Head of International Business and Co-productions, did much to suggest that for Globo the future is beginning again.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 12 Oct. 2025
Looming over the welter of domestic problems is typhoon Trump.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 4 Oct. 2025
While Kim guided the Theresa through a welter of charterboats trolling the shoreline for blues and stripers, the brothers sat on the flying bridge, joking and trading stories and scanning the flat empty sea for the black dorsal fin of basking swordfish.
—Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
But that story of rapid growth and incipient liberalization concealed a much more complicated picture: China’s economy consisted of a welter of different actors pursuing different, sometimes contradictory interests.
—Yeling Tan, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
See All Example Sentences for welter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for welter
Noun
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His neighbors and roommates overheard the commotion from the shooting.—
Suzanne Le Mignot,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The vocals twitch as a backflipping commotion takes over the streets.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
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The result also spotlights conference championships’ awkward fit in the current system, particularly given the fact that conference expansion has led to jumbles atop each league’s standings.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
7 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Wild extremes of temperature, a heat dome, a potent bomb cyclone blizzard, epic rainfalls and violent tornadoes have wreaked weather havoc across the nation.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Some of the worst winter storms can raise havoc in March and even early April.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Recent polls show Villaraigosa, 73, wallowing at the bottom of the field, though none of the major Democratic candidates have an overwhelming edge.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
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The rest of my family soon followed him, leaving me to wallow alone.—
McKay Coppins,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Police said Gerhardt Facko, a Palos Hills resident, was shot following a 911 call to an address on Cour Versailles about a domestic disturbance.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
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Children may present with sensory sensitivities, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal symptoms, or anxiety, all of which influence tolerance to clinical procedures.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The lights went down, and a medley of ABBA songs came streaming through the speakers.—
Melanie Asmar,
Denver Post,
20 Mar. 2026
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North Allegheny's high school swim team set a new PIAA record Wednesday for the 200-yard relay medley at the 2026 PIAA 3A State Championships at Bucknell University.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Saturday’s schedule has mass appeal between the national fixations (Duke, Michigan, Houston) and the agents of chaos (High Point, Texas, VCU).—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
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The world was first introduced to Saoirse-Monica Jackson as the awkward and expressive schoolgirl Erin Quinn in Derry Girls, navigating Troubles-era Northern Ireland and its conflict with the same fervor as her crushes, convent school, and cringe-inducing teenage chaos.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Stewart eventually shuffled out, commenting on how his bedhead resembled Little Richard’s.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
17 Mar. 2026
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So what better way to cap all that off than closing out the Oscars — even if the clip played while the audience was shuffling out of the theater and calling their Ubers.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Welter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/welter. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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