turbulence
noun
tur·bu·lence
ˈtər-byə-lən(t)s 
: the quality or state of being turbulent: such as
a
: great commotion or agitation
emotional turbulence
b
: irregular atmospheric motion especially when characterized by up-and-down currents
c
: departure in a fluid from a smooth flow
Examples of turbulence in a Sentence
The plane hit quite a bit of turbulence during our flight.
A period of turbulence preceded the riots.
Recent Examples on the Web
The turbulence starts on the ground — as soon as the refueling trucks pull up.
—
Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
To manage this risk, the Ingenuity team strictly capped rotational speeds at 2,700 rpm and maintained a safety buffer to avoid the unpredictable physics of the sound barrier and potential turbulence from Martian dust devils.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026
In a sign of turbulence within HHS, one of the complicating factors in the plan to dismiss Makary on Friday remained deciding who would replace him atop the FDA, people familiar with the situation said.
—Sarah Owermohle, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
Never mind the economic turbulence afflicting the country and the world, driven most recently by rising gas prices because of the war in Iran.
—Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for turbulence
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 8 May 2026
To manage this risk, the Ingenuity team strictly capped rotational speeds at 2,700 rpm and maintained a safety buffer to avoid the unpredictable physics of the sound barrier and potential turbulence from Martian dust devils.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026
In a sign of turbulence within HHS, one of the complicating factors in the plan to dismiss Makary on Friday remained deciding who would replace him atop the FDA, people familiar with the situation said.
—Sarah Owermohle, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
Never mind the economic turbulence afflicting the country and the world, driven most recently by rising gas prices because of the war in Iran.
—Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for turbulence
Cite this Entry
“Turbulence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turbulence. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
turbulence
noun
tur·bu·lence
ˈtər-byə-lən(t)s
: the quality or state of being turbulent
especially
: irregular atmospheric motion with up and down currents
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
