1 turmoil | Definition of turmoil

turmoil

noun
tur·​moil | \ ˈtÉ™r-ËŒmȯi(-É™)l How to pronounce turmoil (audio) \

Definition of turmoil

: a state or condition of extreme confusion, agitation, or commotion

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Examples of turmoil in a Sentence

The country has been in turmoil for the past 10 years. a period of political turmoil His life has been in a constant turmoil.
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Recent Examples on the Web

The move also comes amid a leadership exodus and other signs of turmoil at the NRA. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, "NRA rips San Francisco Board of Supervisors after being labeled a ‘domestic terrorist organization," 5 Sep. 2019 Britain's Parliament is facing a second straight day of political turmoil as lawmakers fought Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plan to deliver Brexit in less than two months, come what may. Kevin Sullivan, Anchorage Daily News, "British House of Commons passes bill seeking to avert no-deal Brexit, another blow to Boris Johnson," 4 Sep. 2019 In this time of political turmoil, nobody can predict what Hong Kong will be like next year. James Griffiths And Eric Cheung, CNN, "Hong Kong court overturns ban on pro-democracy candidate Agnes Chow," 2 Sep. 2019 As Hannity delivered this rather apocalyptic description, the images shown of the Portland protests mainly consisted on people standing around or milling about, without much sign of turmoil. oregonlive.com, "Fox News hosts contradict news reports and Ted Wheeler, claim Portland protests showed ‘antifa out of control’," 20 Aug. 2019 Texas Take: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday Hughs — an attorney who since 2018 has chaired the Texas Workforce Commission — becomes secretary of state following months of turmoil. Allie Morris, ExpressNews.com, "Gov. Abbott names new Secretary of State after flawed voter purge," 19 Aug. 2019 History rightfully remembers the 1960s as a time of turmoil for many reasons, including the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Bobby and Dr. Martin Luther King. Kevin Allen, USA TODAY, "Opinion: We were over the moon about Neil Armstrong and sports in 1969," 20 July 2019 But the risk is that the factory turmoil spills over into the rest of the economy. Matt Egan, CNN, "How Trump's tax cuts and the trade war have set the stage for a self-inflicted recession," 23 Aug. 2019 Now that the recent social turmoil has captured the attention of the world’s media, the only comfort to be had is that the causes and significance of the protests are so widely understood overseas. The Economist, "Hong Kong’s protest movement will not back down empty-handed," 23 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'turmoil.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of turmoil

1526, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for turmoil

origin unknown

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More Definitions for turmoil

turmoil

noun

English Language Learners Definition of turmoil

: a state of confusion or disorder

turmoil

noun
tur·​moil | \ ˈtÉ™r-ËŒmȯil How to pronounce turmoil (audio) \

Kids Definition of turmoil

: a very confused or disturbed state or condition … Tom made an honest effort to study, but the turmoil within him was too great.— Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer

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More from Merriam-Webster on turmoil

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with turmoil

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for turmoil

Spanish Central: Translation of turmoil

Nglish: Translation of turmoil for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of turmoil for Arabic Speakers