1
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
the turbulent struggle for civil rights that shook up American society in the 1960s
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rough
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements
the turbulent rapids of the river were certainly daunting to those of us who were new to river rafting
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3
as in bleak
marked by wet and windy conditions
expect turbulent weather as the cold front brings rain and sleet
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4
as in tumultuous
marked by sudden or violent disturbance
these are turbulent, dangerous times in a region known for being a powder keg
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of turbulent
Here are the most turbulent routes in North America in 2025, according to the report.
—
Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Playing their first home game since guard Simeon Cottle was named in a federal game-fixing investigation, the Owls beat Western Kentucky 72-69, snapping a losing streak and delivering an emotional response to a turbulent few weeks surrounding the program.
—Sam Crenshaw, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
According to the researchers, the tubes remain buoyant even in turbulent water similar to rough sea conditions.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
The most turbulent route in the world in 2025 according to Turbli's study is the flight from Mendoza, Argentina's Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport to Santiago, Chile's Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport.
—Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for turbulent
Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Playing their first home game since guard Simeon Cottle was named in a federal game-fixing investigation, the Owls beat Western Kentucky 72-69, snapping a losing streak and delivering an emotional response to a turbulent few weeks surrounding the program.
—Sam Crenshaw, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
According to the researchers, the tubes remain buoyant even in turbulent water similar to rough sea conditions.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
The most turbulent route in the world in 2025 according to Turbli's study is the flight from Mendoza, Argentina's Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport to Santiago, Chile's Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport.
—Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for turbulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turbulent
Adjective
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Erfan Soltani, 26, was arrested last month as demonstrations roiled the country, sparking a violent crackdown by authorities.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
2 Feb. 2026
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Unprecedented spending has also done little to address the country’s worst in the nation homeless problem, an infrastructure that is graded lower than the national average, and a violent crime rate that is 35% higher than the national average.—
Wayne Winegarden,
Oc Register,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The lynchpin to it all is recognizing that 69% of gross domestic product, a rough though imperfect measure of the economy, is consumer spending.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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The hilarious ensemble comedy plays out during a dinner party between a couple who are going through a rough patch and their upstairs neighbors, who turn out to be swingers.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Iran’s internet connectivity has been partially restored, but experts are warning that, even on the other side of the digital blackout, the outlook for Iranian internet access remains bleak.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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The same brush painted the bleak picture for both schools.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The first is a documentary that chronicles the tumultuous, year-long construction of Disneyland; the other serves as the ideal pre-game option to Rachel McAdams’ latest flight-from-hell flick.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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The Reader went nonprofit in 2022 under then-publisher Tracy Baim in a tumultuous process that pitted Goodman against Higginbottom before picketing employees helped push it over the finish line.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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What Lee did not anticipate was the iron resolve, the ferocious tenacity, of the Union defenders.—
Jamelle Bouie,
Mercury News,
29 Jan. 2026
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But nobody is just strong and ferocious, and nobody is just a saint.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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China is home to the largest population of wild snow leopards in the world, according to the Snow Leopard Trust, with the country harboring the majority of the global population.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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The Lakers were swept by Chicago in their two-game series last season, including a wild 119-117 loss at the United Center on Josh Giddey's half-court shot at the buzzer.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The workers previously held a five-day walkout, with marches and picket lines in rainy weather, in October.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
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On rainy and high tide days, the track and baseball field nearby can get submerged in ankle deep water as the river overtops the old seawall.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Oversight becomes sporadic and trust weakens, not because systems fail outright, but because people struggle to explain or stand behind what the systems do.—
Murugan Anandarajan,
The Conversation,
22 Jan. 2026
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There have also been sporadic collaborations with figures such as Katharine Hamnett and British visual artist Julian Opie.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turbulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turbulent. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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