Commotion | Definition of commotion by Merriam-Webster

Full Definition of COMMOTION

1

: a condition of civil unrest or insurrection

2

: steady or recurrent motion

3

: mental excitement or confusion

4

a : an agitated disturbance : to-do

b : noisy confusion : agitation

See commotion defined for English-language learners

See commotion defined for kids

Middle English, from Anglo-French commocion, from Latin commotion-, commotio, from commovēre

First Known Use: 15th century

Synonyms: ado, alarums and excursions, ballyhoo, blather, bluster, bobbery, bother, bustle, clatter, clutter [chiefly dialect], coil, corroboree [Australian], disturbance, do [chiefly dialect], foofaraw, fun, furor, furore, fuss, helter-skelter, hoo-ha (also hoo-hah), hoopla, hubble-bubble, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly, hurly-burly, hurricane, hurry, hurry-scurry (or hurry-skurry), kerfuffle [chiefly British], moil, pandemonium, pother, row, ruckus, ruction, rumpus, shindy, splore [Scottish], squall, stew, stir, storm, to-do, tumult, turmoil, uproar, welter, whirl, williwaw, zoo

: noisy excitement and confusion : turmoil

Next Word in the Dictionary: commovePrevious Word in the Dictionary: commotAll Words Near: commotion

What made you want to look up commotion? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).