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.

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turbulence British  

/ ˈtɜːbjʊləns /

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

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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.

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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

However, business sentiment in Germany climbed in September to a more-than three year high, indicating that firms appear to be shrugging off the economic turbulence caused by the war.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Pilots navigating the island also face heavy turbulence, low-lying sea fog, sudden microclimates and strong updrafts and downdrafts that can push a small aircraft off course.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

Countries that are able to present markets with credible plans to manage debt and reduce deficits are likely to suffer less bond-market turbulence in the months ahead, whatever oil prices do.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Briton who died after turbulence a 'remarkable man'

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

Dad said he was damned if Feigenbaum didn’t make a persuasive case that turbulence was not in fact random but followed a sequential spectrum of varying frequencies.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

“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

There were even more serious turbulences in Bulgaria.

From Time Magazine Archive

Air rushed past him—a smooth, whispering flow, pierced by his beak, streaming invisibly past his sharp eyes, moving along his body in tiny turbulences that moved his feathers against his skin.

From Keep Your Shape by Robert Sheckley

Related Words

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