roiled; roiling; roils
1
2
: to move turbulently : be in a state of turbulence or agitation
conflicting emotions roiling inside her
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
Iran’s attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure and its tight grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas transits in peacetime, have roiled stock markets, sent oil prices skyrocketing, and threatened to raise the cost of many basic goods, including food.
—
Sam Mednick, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
That a website better known for racing to announce celebrity deaths and releasing videos of misbehaving reality stars has turned its eye on DC says something about the anger roiling the nation.
—Elex Michaelson, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
About 20% of the world's oil flows throw the strait, and Iran's ability to block the flow of tankers has roiled the global economy, sending oil prices soaring.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
The private credit industry has been roiled in recent months by concerns that it is overexposed to the software industry – an area that’s been under pressure over fears of disintermediation from artificial intelligence.
—Leslie Picker, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for roil
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Sam Mednick, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2026
That a website better known for racing to announce celebrity deaths and releasing videos of misbehaving reality stars has turned its eye on DC says something about the anger roiling the nation.
—Elex Michaelson, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
About 20% of the world's oil flows throw the strait, and Iran's ability to block the flow of tankers has roiled the global economy, sending oil prices soaring.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
The private credit industry has been roiled in recent months by concerns that it is overexposed to the software industry – an area that’s been under pressure over fears of disintermediation from artificial intelligence.
—Leslie Picker, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for roil
Cite this Entry
“Roil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roil. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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