turbulence
noun
tur·bu·lence
ˈtər-byə-lən(t)s 
: the quality or state of being turbulent: such as
a
: great commotion or agitation
emotional turbulence
b
: irregular atmospheric motion especially when characterized by up-and-down currents
c
: departure in a fluid from a smooth flow
Examples of turbulence in a Sentence
The plane hit quite a bit of turbulence during our flight.
A period of turbulence preceded the riots.
Recent Examples on the Web
Perhaps the enduring symbol of the turbulence in city real estate is WeWork.
—
Julia Hobsbawm, Fortune, 22 Apr. 2024
The band parted ways with Betts in 2000 after years of backstage turbulence.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2024
Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua have endured years of political and economic turbulence.
—Lydia Depillis, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024
Taking the helm during a period of intense turbulence in media and at the Times itself, Tang is now formally the first woman to lead the Times‘ newsroom.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2024
Looking back a quarter of a century after the riots, Murray said the scars of the turbulence had never fully faded.
—Gayle Pollard-Terry, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
To its credit, Sundance has maintained all of its top sponsors over the past few years of turbulence.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 1 Apr. 2024
The numbers suggest demand to attend Harvard has not weakened dramatically in the wake of recent turbulence on campus.
—Matt Egan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
Ultimately, Plane Jane landed without too much turbulence, leaving fashion queen Q on the tarmac.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 9 Apr. 2024
Julia Hobsbawm, Fortune, 22 Apr. 2024
The band parted ways with Betts in 2000 after years of backstage turbulence.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2024
Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua have endured years of political and economic turbulence.
—Lydia Depillis, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2024
Taking the helm during a period of intense turbulence in media and at the Times itself, Tang is now formally the first woman to lead the Times‘ newsroom.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2024
Looking back a quarter of a century after the riots, Murray said the scars of the turbulence had never fully faded.
—Gayle Pollard-Terry, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
To its credit, Sundance has maintained all of its top sponsors over the past few years of turbulence.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 1 Apr. 2024
The numbers suggest demand to attend Harvard has not weakened dramatically in the wake of recent turbulence on campus.
—Matt Egan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
Ultimately, Plane Jane landed without too much turbulence, leaving fashion queen Q on the tarmac.
—Stephen Daw, Billboard, 9 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'turbulence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near turbulence
Cite this Entry
“Turbulence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turbulence. Accessed 1 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
turbulence
noun
tur·bu·lence
ˈtər-byə-lən(t)s
: the quality or state of being turbulent
especially
: irregular atmospheric motion with up and down currents
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share