turbulent

adjective

tur·​bu·​lent ˈtər-byə-lənt 

1

a

: exhibiting physical turbulence

turbulent air

b

: characterized by agitation or tumult : tempestuous

a turbulent marriage

2

: causing unrest, violence, or disturbance

… a set of mischievous, turbulent rebels …

—Anne Brontë

turbulently adverb

Did you know?

Some people lead turbulent lives, and some are constantly in the grip of turbulent emotions. The late 1960s are remembered as turbulent years of social revolution in America and Europe. Often the captain of an airplane will warn passengers to fasten their seatbelts because of upper-air turbulence, which can make for a bumpy ride. El Niño, a seasonal current of warm water in the Pacific Ocean, may create turbulence in the winds across the United States, affecting patterns of rainfall and temperature as well.

Synonyms of turbulent

• violent
• ferocious
• fierce
• furious
• rough
• volcanic

Examples of turbulent in a Sentence

Turbulent waters caused the boat to capsize.

The sixties were a turbulent period in American history.

Recent Examples on the Web

Armed with an arsenal of tools – from DIY inventions to GPS trackers to drones – Daniel scours the turbulent Vistula River on an all-consuming search, desperate for answers. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026

But the fund, overwhelmingly comprised of equities, saw a turbulent first six months of the year. — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026

In nature, chaos appears in systems like turbulent water and the weather — situations where objects that start close together quickly end up in drastically different places. — Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026

An extra problem might be that the real-world ground wind is very turbulent. — New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin turbulentus, from turba confusion, crowd — more at turbid

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing turbulent

• turbulent flow

Kids Definition

turbulent

adjective

tur·​bu·​lent ˈtər-byə-lənt 

: causing or being in a state of unrest, violence, or disturbance

a turbulent relationship

turbulently adverb