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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of roiling
While the issues roiling America today may be more nuanced than slavery, there are still stark contrasts—forces of democracy and authoritarianism that can pretty fairly be described as right and wrong.
—
Miguel Sirgado, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Trump has a long history of attacking minorities and roiling racial tensions, both to energize his MAGA base and advance his political agenda.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025
Against the economic and social turmoil roiling the industry and the world at large, the couple has learned to dream pragmatically.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025
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
Miguel Sirgado, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Trump has a long history of attacking minorities and roiling racial tensions, both to energize his MAGA base and advance his political agenda.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025
Against the economic and social turmoil roiling the industry and the world at large, the couple has learned to dream pragmatically.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for roiling
Verb
-
The debuts of an unprecedented number of designers at brands from Dior to Chanel and Versace have been swirling around Michele and the house of Valentino is now being led by a new chief executive officer, Riccardo Bellini, who succeeded Jacopo Venturini in August.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Stretching to the pointed edge of the property is a 62-foot-long rectangular infinity pool adorned with mosaic tiles in swirling shapes that mimic the greenish glow of bioluminescence.—
Katie Schultz,
Architectural Digest,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The new program, Train SMART, also risks angering a network of grassroots chapters and gun violence prevention volunteers at Everytown.—
Nick Penzenstadler,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Dwight also declines that, angering Ray.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Number of the day 7 That’s how many unoccupied homes have collapsed in North Carolina’s Outer Banks amid large swells and rough surf caused by a pair of storm systems churning in the Atlantic.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The market continues to tread water, the indexes churning below record highs while a majority of stocks slip and evidence of economic-growth concerns surface in spots.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In March, a bloc of centrist lawmakers broke ranks to advance a Republican spending bill without concessions, infuriating progressive groups that accused party leaders of capitulation.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
-
My astrologer’s eyes twinkled with infuriating delight.—
Jessie Rosen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This setup is ready for real cooking, not just boiling water or reheating prepackaged meals.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Cashews are softened in boiling water to make up the creamy and rich.—
Katlyn Moncada,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The film captures every enraging detail of the trial while using it as a jumping off point for an exploration of the history of the region and the ways in which the Chuchagasta have been bureaucratically erased in order to strip them of their property and rights.—
Vulture Staff,
Vulture,
23 Sep. 2025
-
While leaders from across the political spectrum condemned the shooting and rejected the use of political violence, a flood of comments on social media celebrated Kirk’s death, enraging conservatives.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
The Modern Family cast has indeed reunited in various permutations over the years — none of them inflaming fan paranoia as much as 2023's reunion-sans-Burrell.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Disney stated the show was initially pulled to avoid inflaming a tense national situation.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Roiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/roiling. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share