adjective
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of or relating to a tempest
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violent or stormy
a tempestuous love affair
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tempestuous
First recorded in 1500–10; from Late Latin tempestuōsus, derivative of tempestus, variant of tempestās tempest ( see -ous); replacing earlier tempeste(u)ous, tempestious ( see -eous, -ious)
Explanation
A tempest is a storm, so you can use the adjective tempestuous to describe anything stormy or volatile — from a tempestuous hurricane to a tempestuous romance. The adjective tempestuous can describe violent weather, but it can also figuratively describe something that just has the characteristics of such blustery and turbulent weather. People could be described as tempestuous if they're prone to violent mood swings and fits of passion. Impetuous is a synonym. The author Joseph Conrad once wrote, "To have his path made clear for him is the aspiration of every human being in our beclouded and tempestuous existence."
Vocabulary lists containing tempestuous
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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.
Uganda's tempestuous army chief has once again vowed to run for president and succeed his long-ruling father, but palace intrigues are swirling as he faces a challenge from a brother-in-law.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
That’s a generous reading of the bilateral zeitgeist at a tempestuous moment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2026
All that positivity, smiling, parades, the unbridled civic joy inspired by a championship…it wears a bit weird, even to the devoted who ride with this tempestuous franchise.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 12, 2026
Since then, Red Bull have gone through a tempestuous period, including a decline in their competitiveness.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2025
At the moment, the tempestuous quarrels have subsided; only Dussel and the van Daans are still at loggerheads.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
