tumult

noun

tu·​mult ˈtü-ˌməlt 

ˈtyü-,

 also  ˈtə-

1

a

: disorderly agitation or milling about of a crowd usually with uproar and confusion of voices : commotion

b

: a turbulent uprising : riot

2

: hubbub, din

3

a

: violent agitation of mind or feelings

b

: a violent outburst

Synonyms

• ado
• alarums and excursions
• ballyhoo
• blather
• bluster
• bobbery
• bother
• bustle
• clatter
• clutter [chiefly dialect]
• coil
• commotion
• corroboree [Australian]
• disturbance
• do [chiefly dialect]
• foofaraw
• fun
• furor
• furore
• fuss
• helter-skelter
• hoo-ha
• hoo-hah
• hoopla
• hubble-bubble
• hubbub
• hullabaloo
• hurly
• hurly-burly
• hurricane
• hurry
• hurry-scurry
• hurry-skurry
• kerfuffle [chiefly British]
• moil
• pandemonium
• pother
• row
• ruckus
• ruction
• rumpus
• shindy
• splore [Scottish]
• squall
• stew
• stir
• storm
• to-do
• turmoil
• uproar
• welter
• whirl
• williwaw
• zoo

Examples of tumult in a Sentence

We had to shout to be heard over the tumult.

The country was in tumult.

Her mind was in a tumult of emotions.

Recent Examples on the Web

Through the dark-web tumult, demand for DMT never waned. —Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 22 May 2025

Tayfun Coskun | Anadolu | Getty Images Taken from CNBC’s Daily Open, our international markets newsletter — Subscribe today One consequence of the tariff tumult caused by U.S. President Donald Trump over the past month is that investor enthusiasm over artificial intelligence has waned. —Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 21 May 2025

Many legal experts see the lawsuit as without merit, but Paramount Global is seeking the administration’s approval over the Skydance merger. McMahon was seen as a defender of the news division — and 60 Minutes — amid the corporate tumult. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 19 May 2025

Therefore, the tariff tumult is only adding to pressures and uncertainty about future costs, the effect on supply chains, and trying to figure out how this will impact revenues for the year. —Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tumulte, from Anglo-French, from Latin tumultus; perhaps akin to Sanskrit tumula noisy

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

tumult

noun

tu·​mult ˈt(y)ü-ˌməlt 

1

: uproar

a great tumult arose in the stands

2

: great confusion of mind