turbulent
Americanadjective
-
being in a state of agitation or tumult; disturbed.
turbulent feelings or emotions.
- Synonyms:
- disordered, tempestuous, violent, tumultuous, agitated
-
characterized by, or showing disturbance, disorder, etc..
the turbulent years.
-
given to acts of violence and aggression.
the turbulent young soldiers.
adjective
-
being in a state of turbulence
-
wild or insubordinate; unruly
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of turbulent
First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin turbulentus “restless,” from turb(a) “turmoil” + -ulentus -ulent
Compare meaning
How does turbulent compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Turbulent means chaotic, disordered, characterized by conflict. A time of war is a turbulent time for a country. If your family moves and your parents get divorced, you might call that a turbulent period in your history. This adjective also commonly describes unstable or violent movement in the atmosphere, or in oceans and rivers. When the pilot comes announces turbulent air or turbulence ahead, get ready for the plane to bump and shake. Turbulence has another specialized sense when describing an uneven flow of a liquid or gas.
Vocabulary lists containing turbulent
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 16–19
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"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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This Week in Words: October 13 – 20, 2018
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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.
The rising air cools and becomes a "fire cloud": a turbulent mass that can generate its own winds that worsen fires.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Arkady Dvorkovich has overseen the federation during one of the most turbulent periods in the history of the game.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
As such, transatlantic counterterrorism cooperation could be in for turbulent times.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
The sale marks the end of a turbulent chapter for the estate, which was thrust into the spotlight in March 2024 when Homeland Security agents raided the property as part of their investigation into Combs.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
For a second the idea glittered before Sefia like one of her Visions: the Five Islands working together in concert, all the warring kingdoms united, their turbulent histories smoothed over in a single decisive victory.
From "The Reader" by Traci Chee
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.
