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 Disney President Dana Walden, during a Thursday appearance at Bloomberg News’ Screentime media conference in Hollywood, acknowledged the industry turmoil. — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 The tremendous turmoil this recognition created continues to reverberate in the industry. — Roche Schulfer, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026 Geopolitical turmoil is as good an excuse as any to call off a film festival. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026 The discussion came after months of turmoil at CMS that culminated last week with Hill’s firing in a 5-4 vote and board member Stephanie Sneed’s resignation as board chair. — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 29 Sep. 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
  • India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines are among the countries that are most exposed to food security risk from the super El Niño and also face the highest risk of civil unrest due to rising prices, Verisk Maplecroft said.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • French youths have been demonstrating over poor conditions at school buildings, and analysts expect unrest to intensify after a teenager’s hand was blown off by a riot police sting grenade.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of unrest
Noun
  • There’s a lot of commotion swirling around you, and much of the drama may not even involve you directly.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Robin’s younger sister Riverley heard the commotion and ran for help.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of commotion
Noun
  • According to MedlinePlus, symptoms can include a sudden severe headache, sudden dizziness or trouble walking, sudden confusion, and sudden numbness or weakness in the face.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Other online missives expressed optimism, but many revealed some combination of grief, confusion, and fear.
    — Jordana Cepelewicz, Quanta Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of confusion
Noun
  • While all of Saturday will be dry, skies will trend partly to mostly cloudy as the cloud shield with Isaias and an upper-level disturbance spread into the region.
    — Trey Fulbright, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Officers arrived after a disturbance between two neighbors escalated to one man shooting another, police said.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Noun
  • Davide Sgariboldi, general manager at Euroitalia, said that causes excitement.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Erewhon, which launched as a pop-up about a week later, also elicited excitement and some griping, with critics saying the space would be better served by a less expensive option.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of excitement
Noun
  • Mitch Holthus, the voice of the Chiefs, created quite a stir Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham caused a stir this summer by speaking out against transgender women participating in women’s sports.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of stir
Noun
  • The killing of a woman in Okinawa has sparked an outcry across Japan and inflamed long-simmering tensions over the US military presence on the island.
    — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The long sleeves of the blazer included a bevy of thin, frayed feathers that created textural tension.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of tension
Noun
  • If your relief pitcher throws a wild pitch after your defense allowed a gift triple, your season can end in a hurry.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • But Chicago can put up runs in a hurry, as Houston found out.
    — The Athletic MLB Staff, New York Times, 3 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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