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YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

maelstrom

Noun

IPA /ˈmeɪlstrɒm/

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Meaning in plain English

A confusing rush of events or emotions that feels difficult to control.

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Pronunciation

maelstrom/ˈmeɪlstrɒm/

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  1. Many events become tangled together

  2. Emotions feel hard to control

A figurative maelstrom is a confusing rush of events or feelings.

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Examples in context

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  1. She was caught in a maelstrom of emotions after the unexpected reunion.
  2. The sudden closure plunged the team into a maelstrom of urgent decisions.

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She was caught in a ________ of emotions after the unexpected reunion.
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maelstrom — A confusing rush of events or emotions that feels difficult to control.

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A confusing rush of events or emotions that feels difficult to control.

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Word origin

From early Dutch words meaning to whirl and stream.

Did you know?

A maelstrom of emotions and a maelstrom of activity are useful figurative combinations.

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maelstrom

/ˈmeɪlstrɒm/ (Noun)

“This figurative use is literary. The word also has a literal meaning: a powerful whirlpool.”

englishskillstudio.com