Meanings
nouncommotion (countable and uncountable, plural commotions)
plural commotions
- countableuncountableAn agitated disturbance or a hubbub.
It would seem as if calm were necessary to convulsion; for the tranquillity of the last few months was again to be disturbed by political commotion.
1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, pages 97–981 more example
When Timothy and Julia hurried up the staircase to the bedroom floor, where a considerable commotion was taking place, Tim took Barry Leach with him. He had him gripped firmly by the arm, since he felt it was not safe to let him loose, and he had no immediate idea what to do with him.
1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC - countableeuphemisticuncountableSexual excitement.
and now, glancing my eyes towards that part of his dress which cover'd the essential object of enjoyment, I plainly discover'd the swell and commotion there
Fanny Hill
1749, [John Cleland], “(Please specify the letter or volume)”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], London: […] [Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], →OCLC
Synonyms & antonyms
Similar
adoargy-bargybangarangbobberybrouhahabunfightbustlebust-upchaosfermentclamourclatterdisruptiondisturbanceflapflutterfoofarawfracasfurorfusshobbleshawhoo-hahoo-hahhubbubhullabaloohurly-burlykerfufflemayhemmerry helloutcrypalaverpandemoniumpotherquarrelriotrowdydowruckusrumpusshemozzleshindysplatterdashstirstooshiethree-ring circusto-dotomfoolerytroubletumultturmoilunrestuproarupstir
nouna disorderly outburst or tumult
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Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
- Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
- Proto-Italic*kom
- Proto-Italic*kom-
- Proto-Indo-European*m(y)ewh₁-
- Proto-Indo-European*m(y)owh₁éyeti
- Proto-Italic*moweō
- Proto-Italic*kommoweō?
- Latincommoveō
- Latincommōtiōnem
- Middle Frenchcommocion
- Englishcommotion
From Middle French commocion, from Latin commōtiōnem, accusative singular of commōtiō, from commoveō + -tiō.
More words from Middle French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek θόρυβος
- θόρυβος (thórubos)agitated disturbance or a hubbub
Bulgarian турбуле́нция, сумато́ха
- турбуле́нция (turbuléncija)state of turbulent motion
- сумато́ха (sumatóha)state of turbulent motion
- вълнение (vălnenie)agitated disturbance or a hubbub
- смут (smut)agitated disturbance or a hubbub
Catalan commoció, commoció
- commocióstate of turbulent motion
- commocióagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- avalotagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- esvalotagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- aldarullagitated disturbance or a hubbub
Chinese Mandarin 騷動 /骚动
- 騷動 /骚动 (sāodòng)state of turbulent motion
Czech rozruch, pozdvižení
- rozruchagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- pozdviženíagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- melaagitated disturbance or a hubbub
Danish bevægelse, oprør
- bevægelsestate of turbulent motion
- oprørstate of turbulent motion
- opstandelseagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- tumultagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- uroagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- postyragitated disturbance or a hubbub
- røreagitated disturbance or a hubbub
Esperanto tumulto
- tumultostate of turbulent motion
Finnish kiehunta, kiehuminen
- kiehuntastate of turbulent motion
- kiehuminenstate of turbulent motion
- kuohuntastate of turbulent motion
- kuohuminenstate of turbulent motion
- kiehuntaagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- kiehuminenagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- kiehumistilaagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- hulinaagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- hälinäagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- melskeagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- tohinaagitated disturbance or a hubbub
German Aufregung, Spektakel
- Aufregungstate of turbulent motion
- Spektakelagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- Theateragitated disturbance or a hubbub
- Zirkusagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- Aufstandagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- Tumultagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- Aufruhragitated disturbance or a hubbub
Greek θόρυβος
- θόρυβος (thóryvos)agitated disturbance or a hubbub
Hindi ऊधम, धमाल
- ऊधम (ūdham)state of turbulent motion
- धमाल (dhamāl)agitated disturbance or a hubbub
- ऊधम (ūdham)agitated disturbance or a hubbub
- हुड़दंग (huṛdaṅg)agitated disturbance or a hubbub
Irish anfais, clampar
- anfaisagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- clamparagitated disturbance or a hubbub
Korean 지랄
- 지랄 (jiral)agitated disturbance or a hubbub
Latin turba, tumultus
- turbaagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- tumultusagitated disturbance or a hubbub
Māori whakatioro, tūkōripi
- whakatiorostate of turbulent motion
- tūkōripistate of turbulent motion
- whakatioroagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- tararauagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- heiheiagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- tūkōripiagitated disturbance or a hubbub
Polish zamieszanie, bigos
- zamieszanieagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- bigosagitated disturbance or a hubbub
Portuguese comoção, comoção
- comoçãostate of turbulent motion
- comoçãoagitated disturbance or a hubbub
Romanian freamăt
- freamătagitated disturbance or a hubbub
Russian турбуле́нция, сумато́ха
- турбуле́нция (turbuléncija)state of turbulent motion
- сумато́ха (sumatóxa)state of turbulent motion
- сумато́ха (sumatóxa)agitated disturbance or a hubbub
- волне́ние (volnénije)agitated disturbance or a hubbub
- сумя́тица (sumjática)agitated disturbance or a hubbub
- сму́та (smúta)agitated disturbance or a hubbub
Scottish Gaelic ùpraid
- ùpraidagitated disturbance or a hubbub
Spanish conmoción, trulla
- conmociónstate of turbulent motion
- trullastate of turbulent motion
- tropelajeagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- pitoteagitated disturbance or a hubbub
- trullaagitated disturbance or a hubbub
Welsh cynnwrf
- cynnwrfagitated disturbance or a hubbub
Yiddish טומל
- טומל (tuml)agitated disturbance or a hubbub
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with commotion
motionoceanpromotionnotionemotionlotionpotionlocomotionCappadociancounterexplosionMiddle Oceanpoetry in motion
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
commotion. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/commotion
MLA
“commotion.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/commotion. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “commotion,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/commotion.
Source: commotion on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.