maelstromnoun
uk/ˈmeɪl.strɒm/us/ˈmeɪl.strəm/maelstrom noun (SITUATION)
[ C usually singular ] a situation in which there is great confusion, violence, and destruction:
The country is gradually being sucked into the maelstrom of civil war.
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Social order & disorder
- anarchic
- anarchism
- anarchist
- anarchy
- ASBO
- breach
- disturb
- havoc
- instability
- lawless
- mayhem
- organized chaos
- pandemonium
- strife
- tinderbox
- turbulence
- turbulent
- turmoil
- unrest
- upheaval
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maelstrom noun (WATER)
[ C ] an area of water that moves with a very strong circular movement and sucks in anything that goes past
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Watercourses & waterfalls
- arroyo
- barrage
- bayou
- beck
- billabong
- brook
- burn
- creek
- downriver
- Euphrates
- ghat
- headwater
- Mississippi
- rapids
- rivulet
- sluice
- spate
- upriver
- watercourse
- watershed
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