tumultuous
adjective
tu·mul·tu·ous
tu̇-ˈməl-chə-wəs 
tyu̇-,
tə-,
-chəs;
-ˈməlch-wəs
1
: marked by tumult : loud, excited, and emotional
tumultuous applause
2
: tending or disposed to cause or incite a tumult
… the laws … were violated by a tumultuous faction …—
Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon3
: marked by violent or overwhelming turbulence or upheaval
tumultuous passions
tumultuously
adverb
tumultuousness
noun
Examples of tumultuous in a Sentence
For someone with such a tumultuous inner world, the muscular choice-is-all school of moral philosophy could not be satisfactory.
—Martha C. Nussbaum, New Republic, 31 Dec. 2001
The tumultuous sensual undercurrent of the Orient had, like water in the desert, gone underground and though perhaps it bubbled up behind courtyard walls, in public places it kept out of sight.
—Leila Hadley, Give Me the World, (1958) 1999
The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause.
—J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 1999
We were not accustomed to loran, and to pick up a buoy, as I now did with my binoculars, after thirty days of tumultuous seas, at precisely the time and angle that our charted position led us to anticipate, struck me as nothing short of miraculous.
—Louis Auchincloss, "Atlantic War,"
in Authors at Sea, Robert Shenk, ed., 1997
The returning astronauts were given a tumultuous welcome.
The room filled with tumultuous applause.
Martha C. Nussbaum, New Republic, 31 Dec. 2001
The tumultuous sensual undercurrent of the Orient had, like water in the desert, gone underground and though perhaps it bubbled up behind courtyard walls, in public places it kept out of sight.
—Leila Hadley, Give Me the World, (1958) 1999
The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause.
—J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 1999
We were not accustomed to loran, and to pick up a buoy, as I now did with my binoculars, after thirty days of tumultuous seas, at precisely the time and angle that our charted position led us to anticipate, struck me as nothing short of miraculous.
—Louis Auchincloss, "Atlantic War,"
in Authors at Sea, Robert Shenk, ed., 1997
The returning astronauts were given a tumultuous welcome.
The room filled with tumultuous applause.
Recent Examples on the Web
The film is a collage of the time and place — a city and culture undergoing tumultuous change.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Kelly’s tenure as executive director could also coincide with the addition of new expansion franchises, which would mean more jobs and union members as the league’s economics change during a tumultuous time for local media rights.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
After a tumultuous trade deadline, Matas Buzelis is the primary option for the Bulls, the face of a team taking the first step toward redefining its identity.
—Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Earmarks included in fiscal year 2026 bills were delayed as Congress worked through a tumultuous funding process in recent months that led to two government shutdowns — a record-long one in the fall and another that closed half a dozen agencies for a few days in January.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tumultuous
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Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Kelly’s tenure as executive director could also coincide with the addition of new expansion franchises, which would mean more jobs and union members as the league’s economics change during a tumultuous time for local media rights.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
After a tumultuous trade deadline, Matas Buzelis is the primary option for the Bulls, the face of a team taking the first step toward redefining its identity.
—Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
Earmarks included in fiscal year 2026 bills were delayed as Congress worked through a tumultuous funding process in recent months that led to two government shutdowns — a record-long one in the fall and another that closed half a dozen agencies for a few days in January.
—Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tumultuous
Cite this Entry
“Tumultuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tumultuous. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tumultuous
adjective
tu·mul·tu·ous
t(y)u̇-ˈməlch-(ə-)wəs
-ˈməl-chəs
: being or suggesting a tumult
a tumultuous welcome for the astronauts
tumultuously
adverb
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