commotion
gb/kəmˈoʊʃən/ us/kəmˈoʊʃən/
B2
English
~ 8700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
state
1
noisy, confused activity
Loud noise and busy movement happening at the same time, which makes a place feel confused and unsettled.
Usage pattern:
a commotion in/around [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "commotion" with "emotion" because they look similar; however, "commotion" is about noise and activity, while "emotion" is about feelings. Another mistake is using it mainly in the plural ("commotions"); while grammatically possible, it is much more common in the singular to describe all the noise and activity together. Learners may also forget to use an article and say "there was commotion" instead of the more natural "there was a commotion."
Synonyms
uproar (Stronger and often larger in scale, suggesting very loud noise or protest.)
|
ruckus (More informal and playful; often used for silly or less serious disturbances.)
|
disturbance (More general and slightly more formal; can be quiet as well as noisy.)
Antonyms
calm (Emphasizes the lack of both noise and movement.)
|
quiet (Focuses mainly on the absence of noise rather than activity.)
|
stillness (Highlights complete lack of movement or activity.)
Collocations
cause a commotion
|create a commotion
|a lot of commotion
|commotion in the street
|amid the commotion
|hear the commotion
Themes
daily life
|social
|daily_life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- There was a sudden commotion in the hallway when the fire alarm went off.
- The dog started barking at the commotion outside the front door.
- Security rushed over to see what was causing the commotion near the stage.
- We woke up to a great commotion in the street below our apartment.
- Amid the commotion at the station, a child became separated from her parents.
Learner examples
- There was a loud commotion outside our house.
- I went to the window to see what the commotion was.
- The children made a commotion in the classroom.
- People turned to look when they heard the commotion in the store.
Noun
B2
state
2
strong reaction or public fuss
A lot of people talking, worrying, or arguing about something, like news or a change in rules, even if it is not very loud or physical.
Usage pattern:
commotion over/about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "commotion" must always involve physical noise and movement. In this sense it can describe social, political, or online reaction, even if the situation is mostly about discussion or media coverage. Another mistake is using the wrong preposition; the most natural patterns are "commotion over [something]" or "commotion about [something]."
Synonyms
fuss (Common and slightly informal; often suggests that the reaction may be unnecessary or too strong.)
|
uproar (Suggests very strong, often angry public reaction, especially in politics or media.)
|
stir (Softer and more neutral; often used for interest or excitement rather than anger.)
Antonyms
indifference (Emphasizes that people do not care or react at all.)
|
acceptance (Shows that people calmly agree with or tolerate a situation, without protest.)
|
silence (Highlights the lack of public comment or reaction.)
Collocations
commotion over the decision
|public commotion
|political commotion
|media commotion
|online commotion
|a great deal of commotion
Themes
social
|media
|emotions
|communication
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The new tax law caused a major commotion across the country.
- There was a lot of commotion online after the company announced the price increase.
- The politician's comments created quite a commotion in the media.
- Why is there so much commotion about a simple rule change?
- The announcement of the school closure set off a commotion among parents.
Learner examples
- The news about the merger caused a big commotion.
- There was a lot of commotion about the new school rule.
- Her tweet started a commotion on social media.
- The change in prices created commotion among customers.
Grammar
Dictionary form
commotion
IPA
GB/kəmˈoʊʃən/
US/kəmˈoʊʃən/
Syllables & stress
com - mo - tion (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (mo)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: commotion
- Plural: commotion, commotions
Word family
Forms
commotions
noun
Related words
motion
noun A2
motionless
adjective A2
Expressions
amid the commotion
1/əmˈɪd ðə kəmˈoʊʃən/
fixed phrase
in the middle of commotion
While there is a lot of noise and confused activity happening around.
Examples
- Amid the commotion, no one noticed the bag left on the bench.
- She stayed calm amid the commotion in the crowded station.
cause a commotion
1/kˈɔz ə kəmˈoʊʃən/
fixed phrase
create a noisy disturbance
To do something that makes many people move, talk, or react suddenly, so the place becomes noisy and confused.
Examples
- The celebrity's arrival caused a commotion at the airport.
- Please don't cause a commotion during the ceremony.
- The fire alarm going off caused a commotion in the office.
make a commotion
1/mˈeɪk ə kəmˈoʊʃən/
fixed phrase
behave noisily and disruptively
To act in a loud or disruptive way that disturbs other people and draws attention.
Examples
- Try not to make a commotion when you come home late.
- The children made such a commotion that the neighbors complained.
- He made a commotion in the lobby until someone came to help him.