tumultuous
Americanadjective
-
full of tumult or riotousness; marked by disturbance and uproar.
a tumultuous celebration.
- Synonyms:
- violent, turbulent, uproarious
-
raising a great clatter and commotion; disorderly or noisy.
a tumultuous crowd of students.
- Synonyms:
- boisterous
-
highly agitated, as the mind or emotions; distraught; turbulent.
- Synonyms:
- unquiet
adjective
-
uproarious, riotous, or turbulent
a tumultuous welcome
-
greatly agitated, confused, or disturbed
a tumultuous dream
-
making a loud or unruly disturbance
tumultuous insurgents
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tumultuous
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin tumultuōsus, from tumultu(s) tumult + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
The adjective tumultuous means disruptive, troubled, or disorderly — like the tumultuous state of an unruly classroom after the teacher has stepped out for a few minutes. You might hear the adjective tumultuous in news stories about riots because it's one of the best words to describe a group of people in turmoil or disorder, but it can mean anything in a state of unrest. For example, you might steer your boat into a safe harbor before a heavy storm, so the tumultuous waves won't sweep you onto the rocks.
Vocabulary lists containing tumultuous
The Great Gatsby
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List 7
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"The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin
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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.
In 1976, having come through the tumultuous period of the Vietnam War, Watergate and massive social change, the country seemed to be in the mood to pretend they had all never happened.
From Salon • Jun. 30, 2026
The Goldman client note emphasizes that despite the last five tumultuous trading sessions, performance across the systematic space is still positive for 2026 to the tune of 11.3%.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026
It comes in a tumultuous period for the England team, with Stokes returning for this Test after missing the second against the Black Caps following an incident in a London nightclub.
From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026
But the aborted diplomatic launch capped an already tumultuous two days that presaged the meeting’s collapse.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
If anything, Great Wexly seemed more tumultuous, with more people, more happenings than even before.
From "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi
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.
