Turmoil
/ˈtɜːrmɔɪl/
nounB2
Definition
Turmoil is a situation where there is a lot of confusion, noise, or disorder. It can happen in places, groups of people, or inside a person's feelings when they are very worried or upset. It means things are not calm or organized.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
A state of confusion or disorder in a place or situation
- •The country was in turmoil after the government collapsed.
- •The office was in turmoil when the computer system stopped working.
- •There was turmoil in the market because of sudden price changes.
A strong emotional state of worry or upset inside a person
- •She felt turmoil when she heard the bad news.
- •His mind was in turmoil after the argument with his friend.
- •The decision caused inner turmoil for many people.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "turmoil" like "trouble" (A1 word), but much bigger and more confusing—like everything is mixed up and hard to understand
- ✓Picture a stormy sea with big waves crashing everywhere, making it hard to see or move safely
- ✓It's the feeling when your mind is full of worries and you cannot think clearly because of stress or fear
- ✓Sounds like "TUR-moil" → imagine a pot boiling so fast that it spills over and bubbles everywhere, showing strong disturbance
- ✓Think of a movie scene where a city is in chaos after a disaster—people running, noise, confusion—that is turmoil
- ✓NOT like "quiet" or "peace" (calm and still), turmoil is noisy and full of activity
- ✓NOT like "problem" (a single issue), turmoil is many problems or confusion all at once
- ✓NOT like "conflict" (a fight between people), turmoil can be inside a person or a situation, not just between people
Try Other Words
- •Chaos: complete disorder and confusion (Use when the focus is on total disorder in a place or situation)
- •Confusion: lack of understanding or order (Use when the main idea is not understanding what is happening)
- •Distress: strong worry or pain (Use when focusing on emotional upset rather than external disorder)
- •Upheaval: big change causing disorder (Use when the turmoil is caused by a large change or event)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix, root word is "turmoil")
- •Etymology: From Old French "turmoiel," from Latin "turba" meaning crowd or disturbance
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe crowd disturbance or disorder, later extended to emotional and general confusion
- •Modern usage: Used to describe both external situations of disorder and internal emotional states of confusion or upset
Reflect & Connect
•How can turmoil in a group affect the people inside it differently than turmoil inside a single person?
•Can turmoil ever lead to positive changes, or is it always a bad experience?
Fill in the blanks
1.The country was in turmoil because of ___ changes in leadership and government.
2.When someone feels turmoil, they often have ___ thoughts and find it hard to focus.
3.Unlike simple trouble, turmoil usually means there are ___ problems happening at the same time.
4.The company tried to stay calm, but the sudden crisis caused ___ in the office.
5.People often feel turmoil after a big loss or ___ event in their lives.
6.Turmoil can describe both noisy, confusing situations and ___ feelings inside a person.
7.The city was in turmoil, with people shouting and cars honking, showing ___ disorder.