turmoil

[ tur-moil ]
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noun
  1. a state of great commotion, confusion, or disturbance; tumult; agitation; disquiet: mental turmoil caused by difficult decisions.

  2. Obsolete. hard labor; toil.

Origin of turmoil

1
First recorded in 1520–30; originally as verb: “to agitate”; etymology uncertain; perhaps tur(n) + moil

synonym study For turmoil

1. See agitation.

Other words for turmoil

Opposites for turmoil

Words Nearby turmoil

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use turmoil in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for turmoil

turmoil

/ (ˈtɜːmɔɪl) /


noun
  1. violent or confused movement; agitation; tumult

verb
  1. archaic to make or become turbulent

Origin of turmoil

1
C16: perhaps from turn + moil

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012