roil

verb

ˈrȯi(-ə)l 

 transitive sense 2 is also  ˈrī(-ə)l

roiled; roiling; roils

transitive verb

1

a

: to make turbid by stirring up the sediment or dregs of

b

: to stir up : disturb, disorder

2

: rile sense 1

intransitive verb

: to move turbulently : be in a state of turbulence or agitation

conflicting emotions roiling inside her

Synonyms

• swirl
• churn
• boil
• seethe

Examples of roil in a Sentence

Financial markets have been roiled by the banking crisis.

the waters of the gulf tossed and roiled as the hurricane surged toward the shore

Recent Examples on the Web

The neurodegenerative disease has roiled professional contact sports — in particular the NFL — over the past two decades, as hundreds of professional athletes have been diagnosed with the condition. —Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025

The contention over Bad Bunny's impending performance at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show roils on. —Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Oct. 2025

The district, which represents one of the fastest-growing communities in Kansas, has in recent years been roiled by controversies over mask mandates, purported book banning, the treatment of transgender students and use of a Kansans for Life video in classrooms. —Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2025

On top of that, concerns over bad loans briefly roiled regional bank names. —Fred Imbert, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for roil

• boil
• broil
• coil
• foil
• oil
• soil
• spoil
• toil
• voile
• aerofoil
• cinquefoil
• hydrofoil

Kids Definition

roil

verb

ˈrȯi(ə)l 

 sense 2 is also  ˈrī(ə)l

1

: to make cloudy or muddy by stirring up

roil the water of a brook

2

: to rouse the anger of