Sturm und Drang

noun

ˌshtu̇rm-u̇nt-ˈdräŋ How to pronounce Sturm und Drang (audio)
ˌstu̇rm-,
-ənt-
1
: a late 18th century German literary movement characterized by works containing rousing action and high emotionalism that often deal with the individual's revolt against society
2

Did you know?

Sturm und Drang comes from German, where it literally means "storm and stress." Although it’s now a generic synonym of "turmoil," the term was originally used in English to identify a late 18th-century German literary movement whose works were filled with rousing action and high emotionalism, and often dealt with an individual rebelling against the injustices of society. The movement took its name from the 1776 play Sturm und Drang, a work by one of its proponents, dramatist and novelist Friedrich von Klinger. Although the literary movement was well known in Germany in the late 1700s, the term "Sturm und Drang" didn’t appear in English prose until the mid-1800s.

Example Sentences

in a year filled with corporate Sturm und Drang, the company was headed by no fewer than three different CEOs

Word History

Etymology

German, literally, storm and stress, from Sturm und Drang (1776), drama by Friedrich von Klinger †1831 German novelist and dramatist

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Sturm und Drang was in 1845

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near Sturm und Drang

Cite this Entry

“Sturm und Drang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Sturm%20und%20Drang. Accessed 23 Mar. 2023.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


Challenging Standardized Test Words

  • high school student holding a pencil leaning over a sat test
  • Despite the cacophony, the student tried to study.
Spell It

Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY