DictionaryAI

turmoil

SayTUR-moyl/ˈtɝmɔɪl/UK/ˈtɜːmɔɪl/

Verbturmoils, turmoiling, turmoiled

4 meanings of turmoil

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  1. 1
    noununcountable
    A time or state when things are very confused and no one knows what will happen.

    The whole school was in turmoil after the fire alarm went off.

    She felt a lot of turmoil inside before she made her choice.

    Similarchaos, upheaval, disorder, confusion, tumult

    Oppositecalm, peace, order, stability

    Note
  2. 2
    hard worknoununcountable
    Hard, tiring work, or a lot of trouble and noise.

    After years of turmoil in the fields, working from dawn till dark, the old farmer was happy to rest.

    Her arms ached from the daily turmoil of washing clothes by hand.

    Similartoil, drudgery, tumult, commotion

    Oppositepeace, quiet, calm

    Note
  3. 3
    disturb (old)verbobsoletetransitive
    To trouble or worry someone, keeping them upset and unable to rest.
    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 4
    disturb (old)verbobsoleteintransitive
    To be upset or mixed up, or to be in a state of noisy confusion.
    some notable sophister lies sweating and turmoiling under the inevitable and merciless delimmas of Socrates
    1642, John Milton, An Apology for Smectymnuus; republished in A Complete Collection of the HistoricalHere, turmoiling means being upset and confused, struggling.
    Note

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Origin

No one knows for sure; it may come from an Old French word for part of a mill.