turbulent

American  

[tur-byuh-luhnt] / ˈtɜr byə lənt /

adjective

1. being in a state of agitation or tumult; disturbed.

   turbulent feelings or emotions.

   Synonyms:

   disordered, tempestuous, violent, tumultuous, agitated

2. characterized by, or showing disturbance, disorder, etc..

   the turbulent years.

3. given to acts of violence and aggression.

   the turbulent young soldiers.

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turbulent British  

/ ˈtɜːbjʊlənt /

adjective

1. being in a state of turbulence

2. wild or insubordinate; unruly

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Other Word Forms

• turbulently adverb
• unturbulent adjective
• unturbulently adverb

Etymology

Origin of turbulent

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin turbulentus “restless,” from turb(a) “turmoil” + -ulentus -ulent

Compare meaning

How does turbulent compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• assertive vs. turbulent

Example Sentences

It’s a divide with roots in the turbulent Belfast of their youth, which necessitated starting their family in Glasgow.

From Los Angeles Times

Big picture: The economy powered through a very turbulent 2025 — much to the surprise of economists — and it appears primed for strong growth in the upcoming year.

From MarketWatch

Here are some takeaways from a turbulent year in trade:

From The Wall Street Journal

Last year was a very turbulent one for the economy.

From MarketWatch

But Moro was a politician in a turbulent time.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bitter
• bumpy
• choppy
• fierce
• rough
• stormy
• swirling
• tempestuous
• unstable
• violent