roil
verb
\ ˈrȯi(-ə)l
, sense vt 2 is also ˈrī(-ə)l\
, sense vt 2 is also ˈrī(-ə)l\
roiled;
roiling;
roils
Definition of roil
2
: rile sense 1
: to move turbulently : be in a state of turbulence or agitation
conflicting emotions roiling inside her
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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
Her decision, which was met with skepticism by some prodemocracy figures in Hong Kong, comes as the protests near their three-month mark and show little sign of abating, roiling a city known for its orderliness and hurting its economy. — Austin Ramzy, BostonGlobe.com, "Hong Kong’s leader to withdraw extradition bill that ignited protests," 4 Sep. 2019 Alinor is a poor woman living in England’s tidelands, beset by suspicion from her neighbors and the country’s roiling civil war that threatens to topple centuries of monarchical rule. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, "Tidelands is a dull, dour misstep from Philippa Gregory: EW review," 21 Aug. 2019 The lifetime ban of Mr. Morris, 81, a vaunted Olympian whose books on horsemanship are called bibles by riders, has roiled the equestrian community. — New York Times, "Whispers of Sexual Abuse Tailed an Equestrian Legend for Decades. At 81, He Was Barred for Life.," 8 Aug. 2019 For Bianco, teasing out those distinctions and revealing the commotion roiling beneath what, on the surface, looks like passivity was the point. — Elizabeth Kiefer, Glamour, "HBO’s Share Addresses Sexual Assault Unlike Any Movie You’ve Ever Seen," 26 July 2019 Today, debates over school segregation and integration programs still roil cities around the country. — Casey Tolan, The Mercury News, "How Kamala Harris’ experience in Berkeley’s busing program shaped her life — and changed the presidential race," 28 June 2019 Firefighters struggled to see through roiling clouds of thick black smoke, and at one point had to suspend the search and get out because conditions became too dangerous. — Don Stacom, courant.com, "Investigators: Fatal New Britain fire began with burning food," 28 June 2019 As the week went on, anxiety and speculation roiled other chefs and restaurateurs who had been contacted by Michelin fact-checkers earlier in the judging process. — Michele Parente, San Diego Union-Tribune, "San Diego joins dining elite as first Michelin star goes to Addison," 3 June 2019 Stocks and bond yields around the world fell Friday after President Trump threatened to impose escalating tariffs on Mexico, capping a brutal month for markets as rising trade tensions roiled investor confidence. — Corrie Driebusch, WSJ, "Stocks Fall as Trump’s Mexico Tariff Threat Rattles Markets," 31 May 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'roil.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for roil
roil
verb
English Language Learners Definition of roil
chiefly US
: to upset (someone or something) very much : to cause (someone or something) to become very agitated or disturbed
: to move in a violent and confused way
See the full definition for roil in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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