turbulence
Americannoun
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turbulences
plural
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the quality or state of being turbulent; violent disorder or commotion.
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Hydraulics. the haphazard secondary motion caused by eddies within a moving fluid.
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Meteorology. irregular motion of the atmosphere, as that indicated by gusts and lulls in the wind.
noun
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a state or condition of confusion, movement, or agitation; disorder
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meteorol local instability in the atmosphere, oceans, or rivers
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turbulent flow in a liquid or gas
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of turbulence
From the Late Latin word turbulentia, dating back to 1590–1600. See turbulent, -ence
Explanation
Use the noun turbulence to describe instability or disturbance. If you’re on an airplane during a storm, turbulence is that horrible thing that is causing the plane (and your stomach) to bounce around. The word turbulence can be used to refer to atmospheric instability, such as sudden, unpredictable air movements resulting from a storm, but the word has a broader meaning as well and you will often hear it used to describe any situation characterized by unrest and disorder. If your stocks are fluctuating wildly in price, that could be a result of turbulence in the stock market. If last year was filled with unpredictable change, you could describe it as a year of great turbulence.
Vocabulary lists containing turbulence
The Great Gatsby
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Flying High: Aviation Words
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"Fears and Phobias," Vocabulary from the article
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
SpaceX’s stock resurfaced above its $135 IPO price on Monday after weeks of turbulence sent shares to as low as $104.83 a share.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
His subsequent spells at Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica have produced moments of success in cup competitions, but also considerable turbulence.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
BP’s BP 0.34%increase; green up pointing triangle oil traders delivered bumper profits again after conflict in the Middle East continued to drive turbulence in energy markets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
Political consultant Mike Trujillo, who is supporting Bass, said the kinds of turbulence Bass has faced this year is par for the course for a big-city mayor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026
The stem was coming now, roaring past, and the turbulence caused by the tanker’s screws bounced the Frog this way and that, though not as severely as he expected.
From "The Voyage Of The Frog" by Gary Paulsen
“The current turbulences and twists and turns are the ones that we do not wish to see,” Li said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025
"But now we see little turbulences - meaning, an improvement - compared to what we saw in the first few months," he said.
From Reuters ● Aug. 10, 2023
Companies with operations outside the United States also face headwinds from a stronger dollar in the wake of steep interest rate hikes and geopolitical turbulences.
From Reuters ● Nov. 4, 2022
In most of these turbulences, the presence of superior force was decisive.
From Time Magazine Archive
Air rushed past him—a smooth, whispering flow, pierced by his beak, streaming invisibly past his sharp eyes, moving along his body in tiny turbulences that moved his feathers against his skin.
From Keep Your Shape by Robert Sheckley
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
