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 administration has accused Harvard of continuing to consider ethnicity when reviewing student applications and of allowing discrimination against Jews as a result of the pro-Palestinian student protest movement that roiled American campuses last year. —Reuters, USA Today, 20 May 2025

Lawyers for Trump and the media company are holding mediation talks about a potential settlement, news that has reportedly roiled staffers inside the network. —Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 19 May 2025

Last year’s contest was similarly roiled by protests as thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through the host city of Malmo, Sweden, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. —Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 16 May 2025

The talks, which could help stabilize world markets roiled by the U.S.-China standoff, have been shrouded in secrecy and neither side made comments to reporters on the way out. —CBS News, 10 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for roil

• boil
• broil
• coil
• foil
• oil
• soil
• spoil
• toil
• voile
• aerofoil
• cinquefoil
• hydrofoil

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