TURMOIL Synonyms: 122 Similar and Opposite Words

turmoil

noun

ˈtər-ˌmȯi(-ə)l

Definition of turmoil

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

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 Palaquibay’s death has thrown his family into both emotional and financial turmoil. — Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 12 July 2026 Baltimore’s four controversial Confederate monuments, which disappeared nearly nine years ago, have returned to the city, causing turmoil. — Tara Sonenshine, Baltimore Sun, 11 July 2026 Despite the turmoil set off by the Iran war and border skirmishes with Cambodia, the country’s tycoons are collectively richer and its stock market has surged as Thailand positions itself as a regional data center hub powered by green energy. — Naazneen Karmali, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 Over the past decade, the country has been rebuilding its tourism appeal after years of political turmoil, violence, and the pandemic. — Lea Tran, TheWeek, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for turmoil

Recent Examples of Synonyms for turmoil

Noun

Diesel costs may continue to rise amid ongoing unrest in the strait and skittish oil investors wary of a global shortage, Miller said.

— Max Zahn, ABC News, 17 July 2026
Telemachus learns from another king, Trojan War–vet Menelaus (Jon Bernthal), that there’s unrest among his subjects as well.

— Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026

Definition of unrest

Noun

Another trip to Uptown on May 20-21, 1977, causing police to shut Lawrence Avenue down in both directions due to such commotion outside the Aragon Ballroom entrance.

— Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
Hassan was livid on the touchline and was seen making a cross gesture with his arms during all the commotion, a symbol introduced by FIFA for managers to alert the referees of a racist incident.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 8 July 2026

Definition of commotion

Noun

The 2017 Open Championship, which Spieth won despite — perhaps because of — a 22-minute ordeal of confusion, patience and a whole lot of running up and down a steep hill of thick, shrubby dune grass.

— Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Still, as the clock creeped closer to midnight, and fans also heard that supposedly Jay-Z had to end the show by midnight, confusion reigned with many people suspecting the concert might get canceled.

— Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026

Definition of confusion

Noun

The untethered AUVs hover above the seabed instead of dragging equipment across it, reducing sediment disturbance and limiting ecosystem disruption.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
The Saharan Air Layer can suppress thunderstorm development and increase atmospheric stability across parts of the tropical Atlantic, temporarily reducing the odds that disturbances develop into tropical storms or hurricanes.

— Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 14 July 2026

Definition of disturbance

Noun

The excitement surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup has inspired many fans, from former players to beginners, to slide into a pair of shin guards and start playing the beautiful game.

— Nicole Williams, AJC.com, 14 July 2026
All of these moves come as the brand looks to refuel excitement across the business.

— Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 13 July 2026

Definition of excitement

Noun

Lasser also famously caused a stir among the Saturday Night Live cast near the end of season 1, and was married to Woody Allen from 1966-1970.

— Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 8 July 2026
Among them was a Washington, DC, think tank, which recently caused a stir with a report proposing to cap annual Social Security benefits at $100,000 to shore up the retirement trust fund.

— Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Definition of stir

Noun

Wall Street looked past geopolitical tensions with benchmark indexes rising on Big Tech strength and signs of easing inflation, even as Middle East hostilities escalated.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 July 2026
But Wednesday’s amendment vote is a preview of Democratic tensions to come after nearly half of the caucus voted to support it, including leaders like Whip Katherine Clark and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 16 July 2026

Definition of tension

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turkeys

turmoil

turmoils

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“Turmoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turmoil. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of turmoil

noun

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