roiled; roiling; roils
1
2
: to move turbulently : be in a state of turbulence or agitation
conflicting emotions roiling inside her
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
Meanwhile, the state’s unemployment division has been roiled by internal and external investigations amid staff whistleblower complaints.
—
Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
Williams’ ruling could reignite a case that has roiled Washington, where the deal arranged between the president, Internal Revenue Service and Department of Justice has been met with bipartisan outrage and questions about how the president could sue and settle with his own administration.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 30 May 2026
Although the conference was to focus on his administration’s efforts in working with law enforcement to to detain immigrants, the governor spent a majority of the event touting his tax plan, which has roiled local governments — the primary recipients of property tax revenue — across the state.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2026
In the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, that means talking about how Trump’s immigration crackdown has roiled the local economy in Latino communities.
—Bill Barrow, Fortune, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for roil
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Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
Williams’ ruling could reignite a case that has roiled Washington, where the deal arranged between the president, Internal Revenue Service and Department of Justice has been met with bipartisan outrage and questions about how the president could sue and settle with his own administration.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 30 May 2026
Although the conference was to focus on his administration’s efforts in working with law enforcement to to detain immigrants, the governor spent a majority of the event touting his tax plan, which has roiled local governments — the primary recipients of property tax revenue — across the state.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2026
In the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, that means talking about how Trump’s immigration crackdown has roiled the local economy in Latino communities.
—Bill Barrow, Fortune, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for roil
Cite this Entry
“Roil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roil. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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