1
as in storm
a disturbance of the atmosphere accompanied by wind and often by precipitation (as rain or snow)
the sudden summertime tempest drove us off the golf course and into the clubhouse
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
the town council handled the tempest over cuts to the school budget as well as could be expected
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tempest
This gripping page-turner — featuring a decades-old murder, a writer in town to tell the real story and an oncoming tempest — feels like it was ripped from the juiciest headlines.
—
Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 11 Jan. 2026
While the idea of a one-time tax on more than 200 people has a long way to go before getting onto the ballot and would need to be passed by voters in November, the tempest around it captures the zeitgeist of angst and anger at the core of California.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
This wild tempest of a tale set in Depression-era Nebraska follows a prairie witch and a high school girl swept up into a tumultuous western epic about the tragedies and ambitions of Manifest Destiny.
—Ron Charles, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Yet What Lane Will (Actually) Do is almost secondary to the tempest he’s created to get here.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempest
Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 11 Jan. 2026
While the idea of a one-time tax on more than 200 people has a long way to go before getting onto the ballot and would need to be passed by voters in November, the tempest around it captures the zeitgeist of angst and anger at the core of California.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2026
This wild tempest of a tale set in Depression-era Nebraska follows a prairie witch and a high school girl swept up into a tumultuous western epic about the tragedies and ambitions of Manifest Destiny.
—Ron Charles, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
Yet What Lane Will (Actually) Do is almost secondary to the tempest he’s created to get here.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 28 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempest
Noun
-
The likelihood of lightning increases as a thunderstorm gets closer and reaches its highest point when the storm is directly overhead.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
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Some storms could produce hail larger than 3 inches in diameter, especially with stronger rotating cells.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Mayor Dean Trantalis and Commissioner Steve Glassman behave as though Fort Lauderdale is their personal canvas for legacy-building, rather than a city facing multi‑year budget deficits, potential property tax upheaval, and residents already stretched thin.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
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During Francis’s pontificate, the Vatican appointed an AI adviser who worked with Silicon Valley leaders, heads of state, and the United Nations to protect those most vulnerable to the coming technological upheaval.—
Elias Wachtel,
The Atlantic,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That is, up until the 1911 census, after which unrest put the practice on pause.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Turkey denies the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has been inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Promised the workforce Every technology revolution in history — steam, electricity, computers, the internet — has promised the workforce more free time.—
Phil Blair,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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Topics of concern included the AI revolution that is transforming how students learn and forcing educators to rethink pedagogy.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The impact of the explosion was so severe that homes nearby were damaged, while local residents thought the explosion was an earthquake, per the BBC.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
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Japan has restarted 15 reactors after reviewing the lessons of the earthquake and tsunami that damaged the Fukushima plant, and 10 more are in the process of getting approval to restart.—
Vladimir Isachenkov,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tempest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempest. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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