1
as in swirling
to be in a state of violent rolling motion
the waters of the gulf tossed and roiled as the hurricane surged toward the shore
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in angering
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
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Recent Examples of roiling
Of the roiling mass of restless natives, cranky artists and tattered idealists who rose up across the Southland this summer to flip off darkness and call America back to its better angels?
—
John Lopez, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
According to Szetela, this era of expression has seen authors and publishers — many committed to progressive ideals — choosing to self-censor to appease a moral panic roiling the political left.
—Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 2 Sep. 2025
Rip Currents Explained Rip currents are a common phenomenon even without a hurricane roiling the distant ocean, says Melissa Moulton, a coastal physical oceanographer at the University of Washington.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 19 Aug. 2025
The landscape around a nearly 3,000-square-mile glacier shifts frequently as roiling magma thrusts the ground upward, and glacial rivers carve canyons into the basalt.
—Robin Catalano, Robb Report, 7 Aug. 2025
Obtained by Newsweek The years-long saga of the Hoyos de Baldrich family has been given new attention amid a roiling national debate over the national organ donor system, which has struggled for years to manage a growing backlog of those in desperate need of transplants.
—Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Aug. 2025
John Lopez, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
According to Szetela, this era of expression has seen authors and publishers — many committed to progressive ideals — choosing to self-censor to appease a moral panic roiling the political left.
—Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 2 Sep. 2025
Rip Currents Explained Rip currents are a common phenomenon even without a hurricane roiling the distant ocean, says Melissa Moulton, a coastal physical oceanographer at the University of Washington.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 19 Aug. 2025
The landscape around a nearly 3,000-square-mile glacier shifts frequently as roiling magma thrusts the ground upward, and glacial rivers carve canyons into the basalt.
—Robin Catalano, Robb Report, 7 Aug. 2025
Obtained by Newsweek The years-long saga of the Hoyos de Baldrich family has been given new attention amid a roiling national debate over the national organ donor system, which has struggled for years to manage a growing backlog of those in desperate need of transplants.
—Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roiling
Verb
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Trump not only addressed the rumors swirling about his death and health in the speech to his top allies, but also the controversial changes to the historic rose garden.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
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Thaksin’s hospital case Speculation is now swirling in Thailand that Thaksin may not return.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In particular, the new logo is the latest in a string of changes angering some of its loyal fans who fear the 56-year-old chain is drifting too far from its bucolic roots.—
Jordan Valinsky,
CNN Money,
21 Aug. 2025
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Starbase, which Texas voters in Cameron County approved in May to become its own town, attracted some controversy in June when commissioners with the city of Starbase voted unanimously to close several of the city’s public streets to outsiders, angering longtime residents and property owners.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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He was wrapped up at the 5 and kept churning his legs and dove into the end zone.—
Cody Thorn,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Sep. 2025
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As long as that powerful engine is running, hurricanes will be churning.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Stopping The Scammers But alongside legitimate fundraisers there are many scammers with fake appeals, sucking money away from the frontline and infuriating fighters trying to get money for a new truck or drone jammer.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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The lack of development from the teams tops prospects has been infuriating.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Gently add the eggs to the rapidly boiling water.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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The Watt steam engine once turned boiling water heat into motion.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Or enraging if your name is Marco Silva.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
17 Aug. 2025
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Dougal brought his brother home, enraging Jacob, who couldn’t believe his sons had abandoned the raid.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Sounders defender Yeimar Andrade, 33, approached and separated Suarez and Vargas, who was laughing and celebrating the victory with his teammate Cody Baker, 21, as a seething Suarez looked on.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
2 Sep. 2025
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To Bondi and her allies, the outdated portraits offered proof that the department was riddled with suspect personnel seething at the election results.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Plans for national security adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright to also travel to Denmark are further inflaming tensions between Washington and Copenhagen and Nuuk, Greenland’s capital.—
Laura Kelly,
The Hill,
25 Mar. 2025
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Allergens can trigger an allergic reaction in some people, irritating and inflaming the airways and producing symptoms such as wheezing or difficulty breathing.—
Cory Martin,
Verywell Health,
17 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Roiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roiling. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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