tumultuous
adjective
tu·mul·tu·ous
tu̇-ˈməl-chə-wəs 
tyu̇-,
tə-,
-chəs;
-ˈməlch-wəs
1
: marked by tumult : loud, excited, and emotional
tumultuous applause
2
: tending or disposed to cause or incite a tumult
the laws … were violated by a tumultuous faction—
Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon3
: marked by violent or overwhelming turbulence or upheaval
tumultuous passions
tumultuously
adverb
tumultuousness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of tumultuous in a Sentence
For someone with such a tumultuous inner world, the muscular choice-is-all school of moral philosophy could not be satisfactory.
—Martha C. Nussbaum, New Republic, 31 Dec. 2001
The tumultuous sensual undercurrent of the Orient had, like water in the desert, gone underground and though perhaps it bubbled up behind courtyard walls, in public places it kept out of sight.
—Leila Hadley, Give Me the World, (1958) 1999
The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause.
—J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 1999
We were not accustomed to loran, and to pick up a buoy, as I now did with my binoculars, after thirty days of tumultuous seas, at precisely the time and angle that our charted position led us to anticipate, struck me as nothing short of miraculous.
—Louis Auchincloss, "Atlantic War,"
in Authors at Sea, Robert Shenk, ed., 1997
The returning astronauts were given a tumultuous welcome.
The room filled with tumultuous applause.
Martha C. Nussbaum, New Republic, 31 Dec. 2001
The tumultuous sensual undercurrent of the Orient had, like water in the desert, gone underground and though perhaps it bubbled up behind courtyard walls, in public places it kept out of sight.
—Leila Hadley, Give Me the World, (1958) 1999
The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause.
—J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 1999
We were not accustomed to loran, and to pick up a buoy, as I now did with my binoculars, after thirty days of tumultuous seas, at precisely the time and angle that our charted position led us to anticipate, struck me as nothing short of miraculous.
—Louis Auchincloss, "Atlantic War,"
in Authors at Sea, Robert Shenk, ed., 1997
The returning astronauts were given a tumultuous welcome.
The room filled with tumultuous applause.
Recent Examples on the Web
During a tumultuous legal battle gripping NASCAR, racing driver and 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin has stirred the pot with a cryptic biblical reference.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Aside from the men in her life, Callas had a tumultuous relationship with her family, particularly her mother, Litsa.
—Katie Mannion, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
Core values remind leaders—and their teams—of their shared purpose, reinforcing a sense of stability and direction during tumultuous times.
—Brent Gleeson, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Below are ten performances that broke through the noise of this fractious, tumultuous year.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tumultuous 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Aside from the men in her life, Callas had a tumultuous relationship with her family, particularly her mother, Litsa.
—Katie Mannion, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
Core values remind leaders—and their teams—of their shared purpose, reinforcing a sense of stability and direction during tumultuous times.
—Brent Gleeson, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Below are ten performances that broke through the noise of this fractious, tumultuous year.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tumultuous
Dictionary Entries Near tumultuous
Cite this Entry
“Tumultuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tumultuous. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tumultuous
adjective
tu·mul·tu·ous
t(y)u̇-ˈməlch-(ə-)wəs
-ˈməl-chəs
: being or suggesting a tumult
a tumultuous welcome for the astronauts
tumultuously
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share