turmoil

noun

ˈtər-ˌmȯi(-ə)l How to pronounce turmoil (audio)
Definition of turmoilnext
1
as in unrest
a disturbed or uneasy state was in turmoil most of the night, trying to convince himself he had made the right decision

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity avoided the turmoil of the mall during the holiday season

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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 turmoil Delegations from the other Middle Eastern countries sought to avoid further turmoil in the region. — Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026 Every City Council seat, the clerk’s office and treasurer’s office will also be contested in Harvey, with multiple activists running amid the city’s ongoing financial turmoil. — Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 Amid the turmoil of mass student protests in the streets of Belgrade, two young people are bonded by a rash act of rebellion, despite their outwardly incompatible ideologies. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026 That could have reflected immediate public discontent with the tariff regime and resulting market turmoil. — Steve Liesman, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for turmoil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turmoil
  1. unrest
  2. commotion
  3. confusion
  4. disturbance
  5. excitement
  6. stir
  7. tension
  8. hurry
Noun
  • Police stood guard outside branches in what officials described as a precaution against unrest.
    — Jorge Saenz, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
  • In February, a student died during unrest over unpaid financial aid at Dakar’s Cheikh Anta Diop University.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of unrest
Noun
  • In the commotion, she was briefly separated from her 85-year-old mother, who lives with her.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That allowed passengers to hear the commotion and discover what was happening.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of commotion
Noun
  • Adding to the confusion, a young female pilot has since been reported to have perished in the crash.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Mantovani, a Miami Beach resident who immigrated to the United States from Argentina as a child, said confusion about the electoral system and doubts about the impact of a single vote kept him from participating in previous elections.
    — Sabrina Lozano, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • Ars has previously looked at how this X-plane program is intended to support the design of future supersonic airliners that may fly overland while minimizing disturbances for buildings and people below.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Atmospheric disturbances recorded during the launch suggested the rocket may have punched a hole in Earth’s ionosphere, according to a study by researchers at Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Noun
  • To use satire to confirm does not bring with it dramatic excitement and risks a certain smugness of point of view.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Fast-forward to Arjona’s campaign shoot, and the excitement hadn’t turned down a notch.
    — Vogue, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of excitement
Noun
  • From Beyoncé, Solange, and Jay-Z’s elevator incident in 2014, to Kim Kardashian causing a stir after wearing Marilyn Monroe’s beaded dress to the 2022 Met Gala, fashion’s biggest night is no stranger to backlash.
    — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 5 Nov. 2026
  • At the last Met Gala in May, model Bhavitha Mandava caused a stir online after she was outfitted in a pair of Chanel jeans and a half-zip many thought to be far too workaday.
    — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of stir
Noun
  • El-Sayed’s former primary opponent, Haley Stevens, upended the race by endorsing Rogers, renewing focus on tensions over Israel and the party’s direction.
    — Jill Colvin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Acupressure is a Traditional Chinese Medicine technique that uses finger pressure on points along the body’s energy channels to ease tension, anxiety and physical discomfort.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of tension
Noun
  • The Tigers only had six QB hurries, partly due to Jackson escaping the pocket and firing balls out quickly.
    — PJ Green November 1, Kansas City Star, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Defensive tackle Will Echoles consistently disrupted the Missouri offensive front for five tackles, two broken up passes, one sack and one quarterback hurry.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of hurry

Browse Nearby Words

turkeys
turmoil
turmoils
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Cite this Entry

“Turmoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turmoil. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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