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

Reagan amid the tumult and tectonic fracturing of the 1960s Civil Rights and Free Speech movements. —Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026

When Pinatubo started convulsing and belching steam in April of that year, scientists from the United States and the Philippines deployed an array of instruments that tracked the volcano’s inner tumult. —Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026

Since last summer, the agency’s tumult was widely known and a source of frustration for lawmakers and Abbott’s office – and something Opiela was aware of days before Bingaman was dismissed. —Dug Begley, Houston Chronicle, 4 May 2026

Because sugar plantations were so large and enslaved populations were so preponderant, whites feared that any tumult would end with their heads on pikes. —Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 4 May 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