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as in tumultuous
marked by sudden or violent disturbance these are turbulent, dangerous times in a region known for being a powder keg

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of turbulent A day on the water turned potentially deadly when rough seas left two boaters clinging to the slippery bottom of their boat in a turbulent Florida inlet. Mark Price, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2025 Despite the turbulent regulatory landscape, Hims & Hers has showed no signs of slowing down. Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 21 Feb. 2025 Away from Johanne’s turbulent inner life, her writing also seeds tensions between — and within — her elders, as Karin sees and appreciates its prodigious literary value, while Kristin reads only a sequence of increasingly alarming revelations about her daughter. Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Feb. 2025 The book explores the complexity of hope, the necessity of grief, and the need for new ways of thinking, becoming, and belonging in turbulent times. News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for turbulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turbulent
Adjective
  • According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, nearly three-quarters of those polled disapproved of Mr. Trump’s pardons for people convicted of violent crimes, and more than half disliked his pardons for even those convicted of nonviolent offenses.
    Meridith Kohut, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Of eight policies surveyed, his pardoning of people convicted of violent crimes in the January 6 Capitol riots was the least popular.
    Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The Trump administration has expressed interest in other minerals like lithium, graphite, and titanium, but these are based on rough mineral estimates.
    Energy Innovation: Policy and Technology, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
  • The results, while still a little rough around the edges, show how much extra longevity can be wrung from simple tweaks to existing gameplay.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The picture looks bleak in the U.S. and in France the company is entering receivership.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2025
  • The tiny graves at one end of the orphanage compound are a bleak reminder of what a future without USAID might look like for the children.
    Nicholas Komu, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Jude uses that and other topical references to set the action in the tumultuous present, although the guilt Orsolya faces could happen at any moment in history.
    Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2025
  • The exciting news comes following a tumultuous year for Ventura.
    Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Jones, still vigorous at seventy-two, moves through space with ferocious intent while conjuring stories from the past: early dance sensations, tense interactions with the legendary Ailey, and clashes with critics who tried to box him in as a Black artist.
    Shauna Lyon, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Friction point: Community groups like the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and Franklin Park Defenders have been ferocious in opposing the revamp, questioning the cost, traffic and the loss of a public asset to a private interest.
    Mike Deehan, Axios, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • This strain of bird flu has gotten good at infecting new species, including wild birds that migrate and over 40 species of mammals, Kate Wells of NPR's network station Michigan Public and KFF Health News says.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Along the trail, look for plants and animals that aren’t easy to find anywhere else on the island, including wild orchids and the rare native barn owl.
    Curaçao Tourist Board, AFAR Media, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • In most of the U.S., the rainy season comes in spring.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2025
  • The National Weather Service says 1.27 inches of precipitation has fallen at San Diego International Airport since the rainy season began on October 1.
    Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The game between the fierce rivals was halted after 52 minutes due to fans throwing flares onto the pitch.
    Adam Crafton, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
  • After the goalless draw in one of soccer’s fiercest rivalries, the Portuguese manager was yet again outspoken in his press conference.
    Ben Church, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Turbulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turbulent. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

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