commotion
Americannoun
-
violent disturbance; upheaval
-
political insurrection; disorder
-
a confused noise; din
Synonym Usage
See ado.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of commotion
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin commōtiōn-, stem of commōtiō, from commōt(us) “disturbed” (past participle of commovēre “to displace, disturb,” literally, “to move together”; see commove) + -iō -ion
Explanation
A commotion is a noisy disturbance. If you're trying to quietly concentrate on reading this, you wouldn't want the person next to you to cause a commotion, or it would distract you. Commotion, which comes from the Middle French word commocion, means "violent motion, agitation." It can be a disorderly outburst or disruption, like someone yelling in the street at night, or five people arguing about someone talking on a cellphone while a play is being performed in front of them. Commotion can also describe out-of-control movement, like people pushing and shoving to get to the front row of a concert.
Vocabulary lists containing commotion
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 1
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List 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The native Ohioan said she had so far only seen "a lot of forklifts unloading trucks. If I am online and I see...a commotion and a fanfare, I will probably come back."
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
I was sitting on a bench, and I looked over, and there was a huge commotion, and all the couple's friends were there.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
Upon hearing a commotion outside, McGlockton left the store to see 47-year-old Michael Drejka arguing heatedly with Jacobs.
From Slate ● Jun. 4, 2026
Director/co-writer David Winters’ low-budget slasher movie was shot guerrilla-style — initially without permits — across the 1981 festival, using its real-time commotion, glitz and key locales as a vivid backdrop.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
We had grown used to the commotion of the trains passing right through our neighborhood, stepped aside to let the railcars pass, let them clatter and whistle through our dreams.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
The harmonious commotions at the family dining table.
From Salon ● Jan. 25, 2026
At the convenience store, a manager told investigators that the suspect “had previously caused other commotions in the store,” police said.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 9, 2022
He was beautiful enough to cause commotions in tabloids and in teenagers’ chests, but there was always more to Perry than a pinup.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2019
But there have been many commotions since, and worse snubs.
From Economist ● Dec. 6, 2017
As his eyes followed the print the rest of his senses were on the alert to the various commotions that went on around him.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.