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 of tumult

• commotion
• disturbance
• turmoil
• stir
• hurry
• fuss
• noise

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

Passing motorists on Rosalind Avenue beeped their horns to complete the tumult for independence. — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 July 2026

Was remembers the tumult, violence and hope that came out of that era in his hometown of Detroit. — Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

Woolf composed her great modernist novels and her brilliant essays while troubled by suicidal thoughts and the tumult of two world wars. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 1 July 2026

The magnitude of Prince Jacerys’s death was lost in the tumult of battle last week; compared to watching Vermax’s colossal frame be swallowed by the sea, the sight of a sinking boy, puny and fragile, struggled to pack a cinematic punch. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026

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