roil

verb

ˈrȯi(-ə)l 

 transitive sense 2 is also  ˈrī(-ə)l

roiled; roiling; roils

transitive verb

1

a

: to make turbid by stirring up the sediment or dregs of

b

: to stir up : disturb, disorder

2

: rile sense 1

intransitive verb

: to move turbulently : be in a state of turbulence or agitation

conflicting emotions roiling inside her

Synonyms

• boil
• churn
• moil
• seethe

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

The quake struck at 10:44 a.m., and within minutes, the normally still waters of Devils Hole were roiling. —Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024

Amid the rising number of cases in the state, the lab charged with tracking and preventing the spread of bird flu has been roiled by workplace tensions, L.A. Times labor reporter Suhauna Hussain found. —Hunter Clauss, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024

Signals from President-elect Trump’s team that a shake-up of the White House press briefing room could be coming are roiling journalists preparing to cover his second term. —Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 4 Dec. 2024

As the sun spins, its magnetic field becomes roiled, warping and tightening in some areas, Korreck said. —Denise Chow, NBC News, 1 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

roil

verb

ˈrȯi(ə)l 

 sense 2 is also  ˈrī(ə)l

1

: to make cloudy or muddy by stirring up

roil the water of a brook

2

: to rouse the anger of