commotion

UK: /kəˈməʊʃ^ən/ US: /kəˈmoʊʃən/ ,(kə mō′shən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

com•mo•tion /kəˈmoʊʃən/   n. 

1. violent, noisy action;
   disturbance;
   fuss;
   agitation: [countable; singular]
   a sudden commotion at the back of the room.
   [uncountable] What is all the commotion about?

See -mot-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

com•mo•tion  (kə mō′shən), n. 

1. violent or tumultuous motion;
   agitation;
   noisy disturbance:
   What's all the commotion in the hallway?
2. political or social disturbance or upheaval;
   sedition;
   insurrection.

• Latin commōtiōn- (stem of commōtiō), equivalent. to commōt(us) past participle of commovēre to commove + -iōn- -ion
• 1520–30

com•mo′tion•al, adj. 
com•mo′tive, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. disorder, turmoil, tumult, riot, turbulence, bustle. See ado. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

commotion / kəˈməʊʃən/ noun

1. violent disturbance; upheaval
2. political insurrection; disorder
3. a confused noise; din

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin commōtiō, from commovēre to throw into disorder, from com- (intensive) + movēre to move