roil

verb

ˈrȯi(-ə)l 

transitive sense 2 is also

ˈrī(-ə)l 

roiled; roiling; roils

transitive verb

1

a

: to make turbid by stirring up the sediment or dregs of

b

: to stir up : disturb, disorder

a crisis roiling the stock market

2

: rile sense 1

intransitive verb

: to move turbulently : be in a state of turbulence or agitation

conflicting emotions roiling inside her

Synonyms of roil

• swirl
• churn
• boil
• seethe

Examples of roil in a Sentence

Financial markets have been roiled by the banking crisis.

the waters of the gulf tossed and roiled as the hurricane surged toward the shore

Recent Examples on the Web

Willow was approved by former President Joe Biden in a move that roiled the Democratic president’s base. —Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 20 Nov. 2025

Only two people addressed the board, and trustees did not acknowledge the case that has roiled the district for weeks. —Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 18 Nov. 2025

All this in a post-COVID landscape roiled by geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. —Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 18 Nov. 2025

Worries that stock prices of such companies have shot too high have roiled world markets recently, with big swings in places that rely heavily on exports of computer chips, such as South Korea and Taiwan. —Elaine Kurtenbach, Fortune, 18 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for roil

• boil
• broil
• coil
• foil
• oil
• soil
• spoil
• toil
• voile
• aerofoil
• cinquefoil
• hydrofoil

Kids Definition

roil

verb

ˈrȯi(ə)l 

sense 2 is also ˈrī(ə)l

1

: to make cloudy or muddy by stirring up

roil the water of a brook

2

: to rouse the anger of