tumultuous

adjective

tu̇-ˈməl-chə-wəs How to pronounce tumultuous (audio)
Definition of tumultuousnext
1
as in turbulent
marked by sudden or violent disturbance one of the most tumultuous periods in the history of the region

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2
as in rough
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements watched the tumultuous weather from the dry safety of our house

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3
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity after a tumultuous day of trading, the stock market was down 500 points

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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 tumultuous The chief diversity officer role has seen tumultuous times, but that has been true since before Trump's most recent inauguration, Daves notes. — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025 Established on principles of clarity, connection, and authenticity, HOKU is the product of a tumultuous life of seeking a sense of identity through empowering others. — Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025 Times may change on a dime in our tumultuous world, but one thing always remains the same: pi, the irrational-mathematical constant, the ol’ circumference/diameter split, the big 3.14159265358979323…. — John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2025 The state House then had a tumultuous start to the session, with DFL members refusing to head to work at the state Capitol as the two parties couldn’t come to an agreement over how to proceed, given the GOP’s temporary majority that would later be brought back to a tie in. — Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tumultuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tumultuous
  1. turbulent
  2. rough
  3. violent
  4. ferocious
  5. fierce
  6. furious
Adjective
  • The turbulent decade that saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John F. Kennedy’s and Martin Luther King’s assassination, and the Vietnam War meant that home viewers were more open to escapism and entertainment that would whisk them away from the world's horrors.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Outside of turbulent foreign relations, the election comes at a critical time in Hollywood as the entertainment industry faces unprecedented uncertainty due to AI and plummeting profits.
    — Jack Dunn, Variety, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of turbulent
Adjective
  • Below are the stocks that came up in our search: While shares of Tesla , which has an RSI of around 22, advanced more than 5% midday Tuesday, on track to snap a three-day losing streak, the stock has had a rough time in recent weeks.
    — Sean Conlon, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Sony has also had a bit of a rough time with the PS5 Pro, a device which has had at least some measure of technical problems where at times, its upgrades are failing to impress or even on occasion, making some games look worse.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of rough
Adjective
  • The Indiana Crime Guns Task Force was signed into law in 2021 and addresses violent crime in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson and Shelby counties, according to the Indiana General Assembly’s website.
    — Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The storm, which produced violent tornadoes, raging wildfires, and blinding dust storms, decimated homes, toppled vehicles, and left entire communities reeling from the devastation.
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of violent
Adjective
  • After a ferocious campaign from fans, Disney+ brought the series back—initially a Netflix original from 2015 to 2018.
    — H. Alan Scott, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
  • But a mysterious force is stopping their return and the time-traveling TARDIS team must face great dangers, ferocious enemies and wilder terrors than ever before.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 2 Mar. 2025
Definition of ferocious
Adjective
  • Monday night’s fierce winds took it down, damaging the support structures in the process.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Gemini: The White Lotus: New England Logline: At a historic White Lotus resort nestled in the heart of coastal New England, a subtle, yet fierce, class warfare simmers beneath the surface.
    — Martine Paris, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of fierce
Adjective
  • Despite a furious rally in the last 17 minutes of the second half, the Terps (25-8) were left out of the Big Ten Tournament final for the third time, joining close calls in 2015 and 2016 when those squads were both bounced by Michigan State — 62-58 in 2015 and 64-61 in 2016.
    — Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The Tigers finally got some momentum and cut the lead to two with a furious rally and had a chance to take the lead after Louisville was called for a shot clock violation.
    — Ryan Morik, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of furious

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Cite this Entry

“Tumultuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tumultuous. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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