tumult

noun

tu·​mult ˈtü-ˌməlt 

ˈtyü-,

 also  ˈtə-

1

a

: disorderly agitation or milling about of a crowd usually with uproar and confusion of voices : commotion

b

: a turbulent uprising : riot

2

: hubbub, din

3

a

: violent agitation of mind or feelings

b

: a violent outburst

Synonyms

• ado
• alarums and excursions
• ballyhoo
• blather
• bluster
• bobbery
• bother
• bustle
• clatter
• clutter [chiefly dialect]
• coil
• commotion
• corroboree [Australian]
• disturbance
• do [chiefly dialect]
• foofaraw
• fun
• furor
• furore
• fuss
• helter-skelter
• hoo-ha
• hoo-hah
• hoopla
• hubble-bubble
• hubbub
• hullabaloo
• hurly
• hurly-burly
• hurricane
• hurry
• hurry-scurry
• hurry-skurry
• kerfuffle [chiefly British]
• moil
• pandemonium
• pother
• row
• ruckus
• ruction
• rumpus
• shindy
• splore [Scottish]
• squall
• stew
• stir
• storm
• to-do
• turmoil
• uproar
• welter
• whirl
• williwaw
• zoo

Examples of tumult in a Sentence

We had to shout to be heard over the tumult.

The country was in tumult.

Her mind was in a tumult of emotions.

Recent Examples on the Web

The result of all the tumult has been razor-thin polling margins separating the two candidates for months. —Rachel Barber, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024

To be sure, there are myriad reasons why the bond market has been in a state of tumult since mid-September, political considerations of a second Trump term being just one of them. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024

But after the tumult of the past eight years, Trump fever appears to have cooled. —Simone McCarthy, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024

Still, despite all this tumult, if the polling is accurate, the fundamental dynamics of the race appear to have stayed remarkably static, with Harris and Trump effectively tied in the battleground states that will likely decide the election. —Sam Jacobs, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tumulte, from Anglo-French, from Latin tumultus; perhaps akin to Sanskrit tumula noisy

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

tumult

noun

tu·​mult ˈt(y)ü-ˌməlt 

1

: uproar

a great tumult arose in the stands

2

: great confusion of mind