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

Given the turbulence, complexity and sensitivity of our world, perhaps the tournament is now established as a proxy for expressing global anxieties. — Simon Chadwick, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Some, like New Kingdom Egypt, were able to survive the turbulence. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 20 July 2026

Despite the recent turbulence in the artificial intelligence trade — chips in particular — the S&P 500 remains about 1% below its all-time high set in early June. — Justina Lee,fred Imbert, CNBC, 16 July 2026

Of course, when Netflix underwent some turbulence a few years ago, the company also made a lot of bold moves in response, such as the aforementioned addition of an advertising tier, and those actions ultimately calmed investors’ nerves. — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 16 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing turbulence

• clear-air turbulence

Kids 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