English Reference
Noun

commotion

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US /kəˈmoʊʃən/ UK /kəmˈəʊʃən/ com·mo·tion UK spelling commotions

n.a lot of noise and confused activity. You use this when people are running around or shouting and it is hard to see what is happening.

n.a state of confused and noisy disturbance. Refers to a sudden outbreak of activity or sound that disrupts a peaceful environment.


SIMPLE

I heard a loud commotion in the street outside.

CONTEXTUAL

The cat knocked over a stack of metal pans, causing a massive commotion in the middle of the night.

COMPLEX

The sudden arrival of the celebrity caused such a commotion that the security team had to close the main entrance to the hotel to restore order.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the general state of noise; countable when referring to a specific event or instance.

It exploded in the harbor but didn’t damage the Eagle , although the commotion did surprise nearby ships.

Smithsonian Magazine· 3 Sept 2026

From Middle French commocion, from Latin commōtiōnem, accusative singular of commōtiō, from commoveō + -tiō.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated