1
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
order was restored to the court after the judge put a stop to the defendant's tempestuous outburst
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2
as in turbulent
marked by sudden or violent disturbance
in terms of social change, the 1960s are generally considered the most tempestuous decade in recent American history
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3
as in rough
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements
we spent a tempestuous night stranded on the summit of the mountain
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4
as in bleak
marked by wet and windy conditions
stay indoors this weekend as the weather promises to be tempestuous
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tempestuous
Fauset’s remarkable career and tempestuous relationship with civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois are explored in Victoria Christopher Murray’s dynamic tale.
—
Staff, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Feb. 2025
However, rescue boats couldn’t get near the Valencia in the tempestuous sea, and the steep cliffs along shore made an approach from land equally impossible.
—Teresa Nowakowski, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Jan. 2025
The story of their tempestuous affair is told in the new movie Maria, directed by Pablo Larraín and starring Angelina Jolie as the famous soprano.
—Liz McNeil, People.com, 2 Dec. 2024
The tempestuous few weeks in transatlantic relations threw another wrench into Trump and Macron's already complicated dynamic, due in large part to the stark contrast in their views surrounding NATO, trade and the U.S. and Europe's role in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempestuous
Staff, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Feb. 2025
However, rescue boats couldn’t get near the Valencia in the tempestuous sea, and the steep cliffs along shore made an approach from land equally impossible.
—Teresa Nowakowski, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Jan. 2025
The story of their tempestuous affair is told in the new movie Maria, directed by Pablo Larraín and starring Angelina Jolie as the famous soprano.
—Liz McNeil, People.com, 2 Dec. 2024
The tempestuous few weeks in transatlantic relations threw another wrench into Trump and Macron's already complicated dynamic, due in large part to the stark contrast in their views surrounding NATO, trade and the U.S. and Europe's role in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempestuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempestuous
Adjective
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Moderate Auto Industry Recovery The Miller family’s fortune is founded upon the car dealership industry, and that particular sector experienced particularly violent setbacks in the immediate onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, around the time RSL was previously for sale.—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
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Fast-talking criminals, boxing matches, violent action sequences, car charases, and notable stars (Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren, and Pierce Brosnan) are all present and accounted for.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Starting a new business is never without risk, but in the last few turbulent years of the pandemic and the ensuing turbulence, the risks have felt that much higher.—
Alison Coleman,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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The Rundown Trump's Looming War for a Key Trade Route Will Be Costly As President Donald Trump seeks to assert U.S. influence across the globe by implementing stiff tariffs and threatening to seize the Panama Canal, his first economically motivated hot war looms in the turbulent seas off Yemen.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Combat is fun enough – melee combat is rough but serviceable, and the gunplay is decent – and the world is filled with things to do, places to go, and people to meet (and ultimately kill).—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
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The Chicago Bulls have been stepping up lately after a rough start following the Zach LaVine trade.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Hot Spring Shark Attack is set in a small, hot spring town in Japan, where a ferocious ancient shark reawakens and terrorizes the local hot spring facilities.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2025
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Moments of ferocious, wall-of-noise intensity come interspersed with passages of beautiful calm, like vape breaks between stints inside a dungeon rave.—
Sam Davies,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Monday night’s fierce winds took it down, damaging the support structures in the process.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Mar. 2025
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Gemini: The White Lotus: New England Logline: At a historic White Lotus resort nestled in the heart of coastal New England, a subtle, yet fierce, class warfare simmers beneath the surface.—
Martine Paris,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Leafs hatched a furious last-minute comeback to force overtime, only to lose 6-5 in a shootout to the Sharks, Toronto’s second such loss to San Jose this month.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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Martin’s work has taken on a furious pace in the past few months amid the Trump administration’s campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion protocols and health, welfare and Medicaid cuts that will fall hard on vulnerable Black Americans.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Not only do volcanic eruptions kill the fungus, but volcanic ash from the Cumbre Vieja eruption also replenished the soil with nutrients like iron and zinc, and reduced the incidence of banana wilt, according to Dr. Marrero.—
Colette Davidson,
Christian Science Monitor,
28 Mar. 2025
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Still recovering from the intense volcanic activity that triggered the era, Earth’s oceans were warm in the aftermath of the end-Permian extinction and oxygen-drained.—
Sam Walters,
Discover Magazine,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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King’s 1981 book about a mother and son who get trapped in their car while protecting themselves from a rabid dog was first adapted for the screen in the 1983.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2025
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The independent releasing strategy tied to another of Roth’s points of horror, the rabid fanbase.—
Borys Kit,
The Hollywood Reporter,
14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tempestuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempestuous. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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