tempestuous
adjective
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A deluge of words in English do double duty in describing both the weather and the various emotions, relationships, and travails of humankind. You might be glad to know (or be) someone with a sunny disposition, for example, or find yourself bored to tears by a windy speech. Since its 15th century English debut, tempestuous has also blown in two directions, used in the context of literal storms (as in “tempestuous seas”) and for personalities, arguments, etc., that are figuratively “stormy,” being characterized by strong emotions. Like its older sibling in English, the noun tempest (“a violent storm,” “uproar”), tempestuous hails via Anglo-French from the Latin word tempestās, which has multiple meanings including “stretch of time,” “season,” and “stormy weather.”
Examples of tempestuous in a Sentence
Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
The shift in hosts follows an extra tempestuous year between the president and comedian hosts of late-night shows like Myers, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, who have also previously hosted the dinner.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
The weather up there can be tempestuous in the winter, so the property’s operators aim to store energy during peak daylight hours to reduce their overall reliance on fuel during their busiest times.
—Laura Dannen Redman, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Memorable moments have included tasting Aquitaine caviar in Bordeaux, making cheese in Alsace, and going on a tempestuous boat ride off the coast of Brittany with chef Alain DuCasse.
—Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tempestuous
Cite this Entry
“Tempestuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tempestuous. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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tempestuous
adjective
