maelstrom

/ˈmeɪlstrɒm/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmeɪlstrəm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmāl-strəm -ˌsträm/ (ame, mw)

maelstrom — noun

  • maelstromsingular
  • maelstromsplural

1. a state of wild disorder, violence, and emotional upheaval that is hard for anyo

1.名詞C2
釋義

a state of wild disorder, violence, and emotional upheaval that is hard for anyone to control or escape from

例句

Rohan was pulled into a maelstrom of legal battles after his uncle's death.

collocation: a maelstrom of [noun] for abstract chaos

The city descended into a maelstrom of protests, looting, and burning cars.

listing concrete chaos elements after the noun

同義詞
  • turmoil

    broader and more common; works for both physical and emotional disorder

  • upheaval

    stresses sudden change and disruption, less about violence

  • tumult

    more about noise and crowd commotion than the swallowing force of a maelstrom

反義詞
  • calm

    everyday opposite of any chaotic state

  • tranquillity

    formal register matching maelstrom

文法句型

a maelstrom of [noun]

用法筆記

Almost always followed by 'of + plural noun' naming the chaotic elements (emotions, events, voices). Subject is often an abstract place or mind, not a concrete person.

常見錯誤

❌There was a maelstrom in my coffee cup.
✅There was a small whirlpool in my coffee cup.
💡sense 1 is figurative chaos, not a physical swirl; use sense 2's literal water meaning only for big sea whirlpools.

2. a huge, fast-spinning circle of seawater that pulls boats, swimmers, or floating

2.名詞C2
釋義

a huge, fast-spinning circle of seawater that pulls boats, swimmers, or floating objects down into it

例句

Old Norwegian sailors believed a giant maelstrom waited near the Lofoten Islands.

literal sea whirlpool with named location

The fishing boat was sucked into the maelstrom before Eitan could cut the nets.

passive: be sucked / pulled into the maelstrom

同義詞
  • whirlpool

    neutral everyday term; covers small and large swirling water

  • vortex

    scientific or technical register; can describe spinning water, air, or gas

文法句型

the maelstrom

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is a physical body of swirling water at sea. In modern English the literal sense is mostly literary or historical; learners meet it in old novels and travel writing rather than everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌The water in the bathtub formed a maelstrom around the drain.
✅The water in the bathtub formed a small whirlpool around the drain.
💡'maelstrom' is for huge, dangerous ocean whirlpools, not small everyday swirls.