1
as in storms
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 upheavals
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 tempests
One version of the nation’s history anchors itself in the efforts to navigate those tempests, to better the imperfect tools bequeathed to us by imperfect men.
—
Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
For now, Buttigieg has chosen to wait out the tempests in Traverse City, the hometown of his husband, Chasten, a former schoolteacher.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
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
But instead of clouds and rain, these electromagnetic tempests are made of plasma, charged particles whipped into motion by Earth's magnetic field.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2025
The force of the collision pushed up mountains three miles high; millions of years of tempests wore them down.
—Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 24 Nov. 2024
Hwang seems to be suggesting that a line can indeed be drawn from the cultural tempests – too easily dismissed as matters of political correctness – to the real-world tragedies and obscenities that send innocent men to jail and early graves.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2024
Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
For now, Buttigieg has chosen to wait out the tempests in Traverse City, the hometown of his husband, Chasten, a former schoolteacher.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
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
But instead of clouds and rain, these electromagnetic tempests are made of plasma, charged particles whipped into motion by Earth's magnetic field.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2025
The force of the collision pushed up mountains three miles high; millions of years of tempests wore them down.
—Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 24 Nov. 2024
Hwang seems to be suggesting that a line can indeed be drawn from the cultural tempests – too easily dismissed as matters of political correctness – to the real-world tragedies and obscenities that send innocent men to jail and early graves.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempests
Noun
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Damaging wind gusts potentially topping 75 mph will take over as the main threat later Wednesday night, with individual storms expected to merge into cohesive lines from eastern Kansas first and eventually expand to western Ohio.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
-
The storms are expected to move quickly, at approximately 50 miles per hour or greater.—
Albert Ramon,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Along with similar four-year deals — longer than the industry three — ratified in recent weeks by unions representing writers and actors, the DGA agreement adds to the likelihood of long-term labor peace despite many other industry upheavals.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
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The rule, adopted before the 2020 season but not implemented until this year due to the upheavals caused by the coronavirus pandemic, states that a team cannot use a position player on the mound unless there is a difference of six or more runs between the two teams.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
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Dani provides the voiceover, filled with strained metaphors about earthquakes and sermons on the importance of summer, but the pretense that the dialogue is taken from his interrogation is quickly abandoned.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
Now, British history goes back a long time, and there have been revolutions and wars, but since the coming of parliamentary government to Britain, Britain has not seen anything like this.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
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These Richmondian revolutions, performed by human beings, had predictably human results.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tempests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempests. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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