TURMOIL Synonyms: 122 Similar and Opposite Words

turmoil

noun

ˈtər-ˌmȯi(-ə)l

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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as in commotion

a state of noisy, confused activity avoided the turmoil of the mall during the holiday season

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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 Through his interactions with Saddam, Nixon gains a deeper understanding of the Iraqi dictator, the potential consequences of the invasion and the humanitarian and geopolitical turmoil that would ensue. —

Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026 While the cryptic video confirmed the beef, Cooper still didn’t offer any explanation as to what initially caused the turmoil between them. —

Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026 Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016 prompted turmoil within the AIADMK over who would succeed Jayalalithaa as head of the party. —

Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2026 Song of the South is about a seven-year-old white boy, Johnny, who is sent with his mother Sally to his grandmother’s Georgia plantation outside Atlanta, while his father, a journalist, deals with some political turmoil back in the capital. —

Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for turmoil

Recent Examples of Synonyms for turmoil

Noun

Another trend was that police arrested or charged at least 59 people due to unrest at school board meetings from May 2021 through November 2022.

— Carrie Sampson, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
The threat of civil unrest hung over the final days of voting.

— Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2026