tumultuous
adjective
tu·mul·tu·ous tu̇-ˈməl-chə-wəs 
tyu̇-,
tə-,
-chəs;
-ˈməlch-wəs
1
: marked by tumult : loud, excited, and emotional
tumultuous applause
2
: tending or disposed to cause or incite a tumult
the laws … were violated by a tumultuous faction
Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon3
: marked by violent or overwhelming turbulence or upheaval
tumultuous passions
tumultuously adverb
tumultuousness noun
Synonyms
- cataclysmal
- cataclysmic
- convulsive
- stormy
- tempestuous
- turbulent
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
For someone with such a tumultuous inner world, the muscular choice-is-all school of moral philosophy could not be satisfactory. Martha C. Nussbaum, New Republic, 31 Dec. 2001 The tumultuous sensual undercurrent of the Orient had, like water in the desert, gone underground and though perhaps it bubbled up behind courtyard walls, in public places it kept out of sight. Leila Hadley, Give Me the World, (1958) 1999 The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 1999 We were not accustomed to loran, and to pick up a buoy, as I now did with my binoculars, after thirty days of tumultuous seas, at precisely the time and angle that our charted position led us to anticipate, struck me as nothing short of miraculous. Louis Auchincloss, "Atlantic War," in Authors at Sea, Robert Shenk, ed., 1997 The returning astronauts were given a tumultuous welcome. The room filled with tumultuous applause. See More
Martha C. Nussbaum, New Republic, 31 Dec. 2001 The tumultuous sensual undercurrent of the Orient had, like water in the desert, gone underground and though perhaps it bubbled up behind courtyard walls, in public places it kept out of sight. Leila Hadley, Give Me the World, (1958) 1999 The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 1999 We were not accustomed to loran, and to pick up a buoy, as I now did with my binoculars, after thirty days of tumultuous seas, at precisely the time and angle that our charted position led us to anticipate, struck me as nothing short of miraculous. Louis Auchincloss, "Atlantic War," in Authors at Sea, Robert Shenk, ed., 1997 The returning astronauts were given a tumultuous welcome. The room filled with tumultuous applause. See More Recent Examples on the Web The success came even as the firm rode tumultuous times in a mortgage service industry where rates are now moving sharply upward. David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2022 Investors are finding comfort in Apple's stable earnings growth and strong balance sheet, even in these tumultuous times. Paul R. La Monica, CNN, 6 Sep. 2022 Around the Table - One easy way to support employees during tumultuous times is by creating workplace rituals. Fortune, 18 Aug. 2022 Inflated titles may be a temporary band-aid solution for tumultuous times. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 11 July 2022 Hussman said Hamilton led the newspaper through some tumultuous times, but even more change was on the horizon. Bill Bowden, Arkansas Online, 8 July 2022 Meghan has recently spoken out on her tumultuous time as a royal via her new podcast Archetypes and a wide-ranging interview with The Cut on Aug. 29. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 6 Sep. 2022 The 1990s and early 2000s continued to be a tumultuous time for the royals. Variety, NBC News, 3 Sep. 2022 The 1990s and early 2000s continued to be a tumultuous time for the royals. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 2 Sep. 2022 See More
David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2022 Investors are finding comfort in Apple's stable earnings growth and strong balance sheet, even in these tumultuous times. Paul R. La Monica, CNN, 6 Sep. 2022 Around the Table - One easy way to support employees during tumultuous times is by creating workplace rituals. Fortune, 18 Aug. 2022 Inflated titles may be a temporary band-aid solution for tumultuous times. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 11 July 2022 Hussman said Hamilton led the newspaper through some tumultuous times, but even more change was on the horizon. Bill Bowden, Arkansas Online, 8 July 2022 Meghan has recently spoken out on her tumultuous time as a royal via her new podcast Archetypes and a wide-ranging interview with The Cut on Aug. 29. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 6 Sep. 2022 The 1990s and early 2000s continued to be a tumultuous time for the royals. Variety, NBC News, 3 Sep. 2022 The 1990s and early 2000s continued to be a tumultuous time for the royals. K.j. Yossman, Variety, 2 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
see tumult
First Known Use
circa 1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
tumultuous
adjective
tu·mul·tu·ous tu̇-ˈməl-chə-wəs
tyu̇-
: characterized by uproar
a tumultuous welcome
tumultuous
adjective
1
as in turbulent
marked by sudden or violent disturbance one of the most tumultuous periods in the history of the region Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- turbulent
- tempestuous
- stormy
- convulsive
- cataclysmic
- fitful
- sporadic
- boisterous
- riotous
- spasmodic
- cataclysmal
- noisy
- clamorous
- furious
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- peaceful
- tranquil
- calm
- serene
- undisturbed
- placid
- unperturbed
- untroubled
- unshaken
2
as in rough
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements watched the tumultuous weather from the dry safety of our house Synonyms & Similar Words
- turbulent
- rough
- tempestuous
- stormy
- wild
- brutal
- harsh
- bleak
- raging
- violent
- rugged
- severe
- unsettled
- blustery
- blustering
- inclement
- unquiet
- nasty
- roily
- raw
- squally
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- peaceful
- tranquil
- quiet
- serene
- calm
- placid
- halcyon
- bright
- clear
- sunny
- fair
- cloudless
- sunshiny
- unclouded
- clement
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- turbulent
- violent
- ferocious
- fierce
- furious
- rough
- volcanic
- tempestuous
- explosive
- vicious
- stormy
- rabid
- brutal
- convulsive
- hot
- volatile
- paroxysmal
- cyclonic
- aggressive
- contentious
- savage
- knock-down-and-drag-out
- hostile
- frantic
- knock-down, drag-out
- destructive
- blood-and-guts
- hammer-and-tongs
- barbarous
- antagonistic
- bang-bang
- frenzied
- pugnacious
- combative
- mad
- belligerent
- bellicose
- quarrelsome
- combustible
- agitated
- truculent
- assertive
- ruinous
- gladiatorial
- cataclysmic
- cataclysmal
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- peaceful
- peaceable
- tranquil
- calm
- serene
- nonviolent
- pacific
- halcyon
- unaggressive
- nonbelligerent