roils; roiled; roiling
chiefly US
1
: to upset (someone or something) very much : to cause (someone or something) to become very agitated or disturbed
Financial markets have been roiled by the banking crisis.
2
: to move in a violent and confused way
roiling river rapids
—often used figurativelyA lot of different emotions were roiling (around) inside her. [=she was experiencing many emotions in a way that was disturbing or confusing]
Cite this Entry
“Roil.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/roil. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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