turbulent
Americanadjective
-
being in a state of agitation or tumult; disturbed.
turbulent feelings or emotions.
- Synonyms:
- disordered, tempestuous, violent, tumultuous, agitated
-
characterized by, or showing disturbance, disorder, etc..
the turbulent years.
-
given to acts of violence and aggression.
the turbulent young soldiers.
adjective
-
being in a state of turbulence
-
wild or insubordinate; unruly
Other Word Forms
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:
Explanation
Turbulent means chaotic, disordered, characterized by conflict. A time of war is a turbulent time for a country. If your family moves and your parents get divorced, you might call that a turbulent period in your history. This adjective also commonly describes unstable or violent movement in the atmosphere, or in oceans and rivers. When the pilot comes announces turbulent air or turbulence ahead, get ready for the plane to bump and shake. Turbulence has another specialized sense when describing an uneven flow of a liquid or gas.
Vocabulary lists containing turbulent
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 16–19
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"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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This Week in Words: October 13 – 20, 2018
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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.
Yet as the turbulent session wore on, intense buying suddenly erupted in policy-sensitive parts of the $31.5 trillion Treasury market.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
But for all the history between them, the launch felt more like two veterans in the closing stages of long, turbulent careers taking stock of how far they had both come.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
Yet Trump has also shown an uncanny fondness for incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, saying that despite turbulent trade relations, he and the veteran leftist, both 80, have "excellent chemistry."
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
The Chargers and their turbulent offense are on the verge of starting 0-3 for the first time since 2017.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026
Full of fresh determination, he urged his broom through the turbulent air, staring in every direction for the Snitch, avoiding a Bludger, ducking beneath Diggory, who was streaking in the opposite direction....
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
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.
