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.
And it was even worse than at any point during the tumultuous period of 1980-82, when the U.S. suffered two recessions, 11% inflation and 18% mortgage rates.
From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026
Tulsi Gabbard resigned Friday as director of national intelligence, capping a tumultuous tenure in which she was largely sidelined from President Trump’s national-security operations, including in Venezuela and Iran.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
Even in the early minutes of a tumultuous night that saw Scottish football's mad-o-meter blow up in smoke, there were scenes that suggested another extraordinary chapter in the Hearts versus Celtic title story was nigh.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
Once more, we are at the tumultuous intersection of greed and hope.
From Barron's • May 13, 2026
Colonel Conners arose to a tumultuous ovation which he finally calmed by raising a muscular arm in the air to signal for quiet.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
