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
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
But flooding — and not just from those tropical tempests — is a multibillion-dollar threat that is largely untracked by government agencies and often kept secret from the public.
—Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempest
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
But flooding — and not just from those tropical tempests — is a multibillion-dollar threat that is largely untracked by government agencies and often kept secret from the public.
—Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempest
Noun
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While parts of the state were hammered by Monday’s blizzard, snowfall totals in Boston were below the two feet that fell in late January’s massive storm.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
24 Feb. 2026
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If this week’s snow storm in the Northeast is any indication, winter isn’t over yet, so plan for plenty of layering over the weeks ahead.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Beyond the vaccine upheaval, some of the agency’s core functions seem hobbled.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Mercury News,
21 Feb. 2026
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Iranian officials have previously threatened to close the strait in the face of tensions with the West, a scenario that could cause upheaval in the global energy market.—
Farida Elsebai,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The operation set off a wave of civil unrest, with vehicles being torched and gunmen, believed to be supported of Oseguera, blocking highways in a more than a dozen states.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
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Southwest Airlines and American Airlines resumed flights to parts of Mexico on Tuesday, following two days of cancellations in connection with civil unrest sparked by the killing of a powerful cartel leader in Mexico.—
Jordan Parker
Aviation,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Drones revolution The automation of warfare in Ukraine is the evolution that may endure the longest.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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French cinema has always been able to embrace technological revolutions to fuel creativity while respecting the role of the artist.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
27 Feb. 2026
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Understanding friction better could help scientists better understand how the Earth’s tectonic plates slide and grind during earthquakes, for example, or to save energy by reducing friction and wear.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Fortune,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tempest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempest. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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