moil 1 of 2

noun

Definition of moilnext
1
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity went for a retreat at the monastery for a temporary respite from the moil of the modern world

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in labor
very hard or unpleasant work fed up with the moil and moneygrubbing of Wall Street, he decided to open a bed-and-breakfast in Vermont

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

moil

2 of 2

verb

ˈmȯi(-ə)l How to pronounce moil (audio)
1
as in to labor
to devote serious and sustained effort miners moiling all day in the sunless recesses of the earth

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to swirl
to be in a state of violent rolling motion the angry mob moiled around the courthouse

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of moil
Noun
Through a stranger’s eyes, though, the UBA’s moil of laws and lore is a clear symptom of mental illness. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026 The delight of online life gave way to its moil, and the pleasure of online services has been eroded by their many downsides, from compulsion to autocracy. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 24 Feb. 2020
Verb
There are strange things done in the midnight sun, by the men who moil for gold. — Literary Hub, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moil
  1. commotion
  2. labor
  3. struggle
  4. swirl
  5. disturbance
  6. effort
  7. strive
  8. churn
Noun
  • Sleep was beginning to finally visit the insomniacs and drunkards of T—in central Manila when a commotion louder than the usual domestic squabbles erupted from the room above Mang Calixto’s bakery.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026
  • And, true to form, Clowney arrives with commotion and fanfare for great things ahead.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of commotion
Noun
  • Stefan Rittner, senior portfolio manager at Allianz Global Investors, said markets were more likely to accept measures that improve productivity, labor supply and long-term growth than spending aimed mainly at supporting consumption.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Many skeptics see a contradiction in high-achieving, mostly white young voters employing rhetoric about labor and solidarity.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of labor
Verb
  • On the other hand, if a teenager is struggling and isn’t involved in any activities, encourage them to explore their interests as a way of making those initial connections.
    — Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • New telescopes in the $50 range are usually tiny 50- to 70-millimeter refractors that struggle with faint objects.
    — Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of struggle
Verb
  • Svelte white waitresses in generic Asian garb swirled around us.
    — Karan Mahajan, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Rumors swirled about Alito’s retirement plans after NPR published and then retracted an article by reporter Nina Totenberg that Alito would be retiring from his role on the bench at the end of the court’s 2025-26 term.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of swirl
Noun
  • Not getting enough sleep, not being able to get to sleep and waking up during the night are all signs of sleep disturbances.
    — Doreen Samelson, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • What begins as relatively weak shear disturbances can quickly evolve into major waves and vortices.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbance
Noun
  • Houthi spokesman Nasruddin Amer said on X on Friday that the group will continue to target any Saudi buildups in an effort to lift the kingdom’s blockade on Yemen.
    — Fatma Khaled, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The significant time and effort involved makes most sense when recruiting, hiring, training, and mentoring large numbers for identical (or at least similar) jobs.
    — Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of effort
Verb
  • Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum ruled out fracking in a key basin, citing danger to nearby water tables and indigenous communities — a move that highlights her political balancing act as the country strives to wean off US energy.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Leaders should strive to embed a security engineer directly into product squads from the design phase, turning cryptographic requirements into ordinary user stories rather than late-stage compliance findings.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of strive
Verb
  • Participants will tackle a 5K trail run while churning their own ice cream.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The stock ran to a 52-week high of $219 but has spent the past several weeks churning in a range, unable to clear $218 on multiple attempts.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of churn

Browse Nearby Words

moiety
moil
moiled
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Cite this Entry

“Moil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moil. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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