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
Sellers and Ms. Ekland are not the only tempestuous couple featured.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026
The St. George Reef Lighthouse, six miles off the coast of California’s sparsely populated northwest corner, stands atop a sheer rock surrounded by nothing but the cold, tempestuous Pacific.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2025
The sometimes unseemly efforts of European leaders to lavish Trump with praise on Monday hinted at their concerns about his sometimes tempestuous nature.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2025
It is yet another tempestuous night at the Yellow House.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
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.
