turbulence

American  

[tur-byuh-luhns] / ˈtɜr bjə ləns /

Sometimes turbulency

noun

turbulences plural

1. the quality or state of being turbulent; violent disorder or commotion.

2. Hydraulics. the haphazard secondary motion caused by eddies within a moving fluid.

3. Meteorology. irregular motion of the atmosphere, as that indicated by gusts and lulls in the wind.

---

turbulence British  

/ ˈtɜːbjʊləns, ˈtɜːbjʊˌlənsɪ /

noun

1. a state or condition of confusion, movement, or agitation; disorder

2. meteorol local instability in the atmosphere, oceans, or rivers

3. turbulent flow in a liquid or gas

---

turbulence Scientific  

/ tûr′byə-ləns /

1. Chaotic or unstable eddying motion in a fluid. Avoiding excessive turbulence generated around moving objects (such as airplanes), which can make their motion inefficient and difficult to control, is a major factor in aerodynamic design.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• turbulences
  plural

Etymology

Origin of turbulence

From the Late Latin word turbulentia, dating back to 1590–1600. See turbulent, -ence

Explanation

Use the noun turbulence to describe instability or disturbance. If you’re on an airplane during a storm, turbulence is that horrible thing that is causing the plane (and your stomach) to bounce around. The word turbulence can be used to refer to atmospheric instability, such as sudden, unpredictable air movements resulting from a storm, but the word has a broader meaning as well and you will often hear it used to describe any situation characterized by unrest and disorder. If your stocks are fluctuating wildly in price, that could be a result of turbulence in the stock market. If last year was filled with unpredictable change, you could describe it as a year of great turbulence.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

turbulence turbulences

But for those who choose to leave, they’ve been met with unexpected emotional turbulence.

From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026

The company warned that the second half of the year would also be affected, though chief executive Kenton Jarvis said the airline was "well placed" to ride out the turbulence.

From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026

U.S. stocks hit some turbulence in June, and that seemed to carry over into early July, as a powerful momentum trade centered on semiconductor stocks hit a speed bump.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026

Researchers are even applying quantum concepts to the long-standing challenge of understanding turbulence.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026

And after a while, I dozed off to sleep, but every time there was turbulence, I would jerk awake, thinking the plane was falling out of the sky and into the ocean.

From "Lost Boy, Lost Girl" by John Bul Dau

“The current turbulences and twists and turns are the ones that we do not wish to see,” Li said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025

"But now we see little turbulences - meaning, an improvement - compared to what we saw in the first few months," he said.

From Reuters ● Aug. 10, 2023

Companies with operations outside the United States also face headwinds from a stronger dollar in the wake of steep interest rate hikes and geopolitical turbulences.

From Reuters ● Nov. 4, 2022

In most of these turbulences, the presence of superior force was decisive.

From Time Magazine Archive

His whole exuberant career is a pæan to life, for itself and its great chances, and because "it giveth the leave to vent and boyle away the unquietnesses and turbulences that follow our passions."

From The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened by MacDonell, Anne

Related Words

• conflict
• confusion
• disturbance
• instability
• tumult
• turmoil
• unrest