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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
avoided the turmoil of the mall during the holiday season
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 turmoil
Other Western democracies experience polarization and political turmoil, too, yet do not experience this problem.
—
Garret Martin, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
FanDuel’s networks have had their share of turmoil recently, emerging from a messy bankruptcy case less than a year ago.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Precious metals like gold and silver can serve as stores of value amid times of turmoil.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Management turmoil often means sell, no matter how good the franchise.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for turmoil
Garret Martin, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
FanDuel’s networks have had their share of turmoil recently, emerging from a messy bankruptcy case less than a year ago.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Precious metals like gold and silver can serve as stores of value amid times of turmoil.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Management turmoil often means sell, no matter how good the franchise.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for turmoil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turmoil
Noun
-
Local grievances—such as power outages in Madagascar or rising food prices in Kenya—can quickly escalate into nationwide unrest, amplified by viral hashtags, memes and shared digital culture.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
In other footage of the unrest, two men were seen engaging in a fistfight outside the ICE facility before they were detained.—
Greg Norman , Bill Melugin,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There’s a huge commotion around us.—
Eli Sharabi,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The K-pop contingent caused a commotion, with Blackpink’s Lisa snapping pics with Stray Kids’ Felix.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
First, your confusion is kind of the point ‒ today's slang is part of an ever-changing lexicon that separates the young from the young-at-heart.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
-
The Department of Homeland Security has detained hundreds of TPS holders from Venezuela nationwide, creating confusion about how the protections are being applied.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Tuesday afternoon, the hurricane center also flagged another disturbance to watch.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Key Takeaways Time changes can increase stroke risk and cause mood changes and sleep disturbances.—
Mira Miller,
Verywell Health,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Fans on social media can barely contain their excitement over the announcement.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
-
The exec emphasized his excitement about being in the country a few months after Salles’ history-making drama about Brazil’s military dictatorship, a film that also scored nominations for best picture and actress for Fernanda Torres.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Along with each political plot twist in the paddock, technological advancements cause quite a stir.—
Alex Kalinauckas,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
-
That calmness, however, was soon overtaken by the kitchen, with the hiss of the pans, stir of the pots and sharp calls exchanged between cooks quickly filling the air, along with the sounds of an upbeat Peruvian song playing in the background.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The state avoided that sort of catastrophe, but the tensions inside its prisons between those confined and those paid to watch them seeped into the outside world, commanding the attention of reporters and the scrutiny of political leaders.—
Jennifer Gonnerman,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Between them stretches the long expanse of the table—a zone of tension, where the celestial mission of knowledge collides with the earthly reality of budgets.—
Rick Burton,
Sportico.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Uiagalelei has 18 pressures and four sacks this season and has been a force all over the field, including an impressive performance (six pressures, five hurries, one sack) at Penn State last week.—
Nick Baumgardner,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The outlook looks bleak if rookies Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips don’t improve in a hurry.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Turmoil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turmoil. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share