turmoil
TUR-moyl
Turmoil (noun) means a state of great confusion, disorder, or emotional upheaval. Example: “The company was in turmoil after its CEO resigned suddenly.”
noun
1
A state of great confusion, disorder, or emotional upheaval.
"The Taoists developed their philosophy during an extended era of turmoil known as the Warring States period of Chinese history."
— Charles Hugh Smith, Self-Reliance (2024)
"The company was in turmoil after its CEO resigned suddenly."
"Her thoughts were in turmoil after receiving the news."
"Oleg Blokhin's side lost the talismanic Andriy Shevchenko to the substitutes' bench because of a knee injury but still showed enough to put England through real turmoil in spells."
— Phil McNulty, England 1-0 Ukraine (2012)
How to use turmoil
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA messy, unsettled state of chaos or distress, whether in a country, a company, or someone's mind.
Common pairings
political turmoil
emotional turmoil
in turmoil
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Word forms
- Plural
- turmoils
- Third person singular
- turmoils
- Past tense
- turmoiled
Fill the gap
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The company was in _____ after its CEO resigned suddenly.
Etymology
Origin unknown; the word first appears in English around 1526, possibly connected to Old French tremouille, a mill hopper.
Class of 1526
turmoil joined the language around 1526.
See the full Class of 1526 →
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for turmoil
See all rhymes for turmoil →Frequently asked questions
What does “turmoil” mean?
The word “turmoil” means a state of great confusion, disorder, or emotional upheaval. In plain terms, a messy, unsettled state of chaos or distress, whether in a country, a company, or someone's mind.
How do you pronounce “turmoil”?
“Turmoil” is pronounced TUR-moyl (/ˈtɜːmɔɪl/ in IPA).
How do you use “turmoil” in a sentence?
Here is “turmoil” used in a sentence: “The company was in turmoil after its CEO resigned suddenly.”
What is another word for “turmoil”?
Words with a similar meaning to “turmoil” include chaos and disorder.
What part of speech is “turmoil”?
“Turmoil” is a noun.
Where does the word “turmoil” come from?
The word “turmoil” dates back to around 1526 and comes from Old French. Origin unknown; the word first appears in English around 1526, possibly connected to Old French tremouille, a mill hopper.
Is “turmoil” a common word?
“Turmoil” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
