What does maelstrom mean?
Word: Maelstrom
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Maelstrom means a situation so full of noise, activity or strong feelings that it is hard to control. It can also mean a very strong whirlpool in the sea.
Synonyms: whirlpool
Antonyms: calm
How do you spell maelstrom?
Syllables: mael - strom
Tricky part: The first vowel sound is spelt ae, an unusual pair for English. Pupils expect ai or ay here.
Watch out for: mailstrom, maylstrom
Memory tip: Picture two letters spinning side by side in the whirlpool, a and e: the same pair you can see in the name Michael.
Maelstrom in a sentence
Example 1: The exam hall corridor was a maelstrom of last-minute questions.
Example 2: Her mind was a maelstrom of ideas on the night before the science fair.
Example 3: The Tokyo subway at rush hour can feel like a maelstrom of bags and elbows.
Fun Fact
The word comes from early Dutch parts meaning whirl and stream. Old maps gave it to a strong whirlpool off the Lofoten Islands of Norway, and the currents there, now called Moskstraumen, can still be seen today.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
On the last morning of the book fair, the entrance hall turned into a maelstorm of parents, pupils, trolleys and cardboard boxes until the volunteers arrived.
a) maelstorm
b) entrance
c) volunteers
d) trolleys
Show answer
a) maelstorm. The word has nothing to do with a storm: its last part is strom.
Mingle-Mangle
The sentence contains a jumbled word. Choose the word it hides:
Sailors in the old story steered their boat well away from the tmsrloeam in the narrow strait.
a) maelstrom
b) mainstream
c) mushroom
d) moonstone
Show answer
a) maelstrom. The jumble has two m's, a t and no i, n or h, so only one word fits.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word maelstrom as used in the sentence:
The kitchen was a maelstrom of steam, clanging pans and shouted orders on the day of the wedding.
a) stillness
b) routine
c) turmoil
d) harmony
Show answer
c) turmoil. A kitchen in that state is in turmoil: everything is confused at once.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. maelstrom 2. archipeligo 3. peninsulla 4. monsoan
a) a long strip of land almost surrounded by water
b) a group of many small islands
c) a powerful spinning current at sea
d) the season of heavy rain in South Asia
Show answer
c) a powerful spinning current at sea. Monsoon has oo, archipelago has an a after the l, and peninsula has one l.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which scene could be called a maelstrom?
a) a neat row of parked bicycles
b) a crowded market minutes before closing
c) a quiet library on a Sunday
d) a still pond at sunrise
Show answer
b) a crowded market minutes before closing
2. In the phrase a maelstrom of feelings, what is the person going through?
a) one brief, mild worry
b) no emotion at all
c) many emotions all mixed up
d) one quiet, steady emotion
Show answer
c) many emotions all mixed up
