1
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
order was restored to the court after the judge put a stop to the defendant's tempestuous outburst
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2
as in turbulent
marked by sudden or violent disturbance
in terms of social change, the 1960s are generally considered the most tempestuous decade in recent American history
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3
as in rough
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements
we spent a tempestuous night stranded on the summit of the mountain
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4
as in bleak
marked by wet and windy conditions
stay indoors this weekend as the weather promises to be tempestuous
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tempestuous
The tempestuous Moon is in your heady sign, trining Jupiter in your 9th House of Learning.
—
Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026
Below the 40th parallel in the Southern Ocean, there are sixty-knot winds and tempestuous seas, rainforests, mountains, white sand beaches and an ever-changing sky.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
With a father who has all but given up, a disconnected mother, 2 moody teenagers and a tempestuous little one – there’s already plenty of drama for one family to manage.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Rumiantsev is charged with two counts of rape and assault, which allegedly occurred during his tempestuous relationship with Barron’s online friend.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tempestuous
Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026
Below the 40th parallel in the Southern Ocean, there are sixty-knot winds and tempestuous seas, rainforests, mountains, white sand beaches and an ever-changing sky.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
With a father who has all but given up, a disconnected mother, 2 moody teenagers and a tempestuous little one – there’s already plenty of drama for one family to manage.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Rumiantsev is charged with two counts of rape and assault, which allegedly occurred during his tempestuous relationship with Barron’s online friend.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tempestuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempestuous
Adjective
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The death of a star is usually thought to be a violent and hostile place, filled with scorching radiation that destroys fragile molecules.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
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Last year, the county sued NaphCare for its alleged role in the death of Brandon Yates, who was murdered in the Central Jail in 2024 after being wrongly placed into a cell with a violent offender.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The former ambassador leaves the post after a turbulent, combative year at the arts institution.—
Geoff Edgers,
Washington Post,
14 Mar. 2026
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Multiple sources have indicated the Aztecs won’t accept either and instead get started on what figures to be a turbulent offseason.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Based on the book by Bart Baker, Honeymoon with Harry follows a rough-around-the-edges man (Gyllenhaal) who ends up sharing an unwanted journey with his fiancée’s prickly, overprotective father (Costner) after a life-altering turn upends their plans.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 2026
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Even if the promo is rough around the edges, Hartline creates a space that encourages creativity.—
Anthony Solorzano,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The best win of Leeds United’s season is arguably the ferocious demolition of Chelsea in December.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
20 Mar. 2026
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Tehran’s retaliation was swift and ferocious.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The steep fee, enacted in 2015 due to surging demand among American expatriates seeking to avoid new tax reporting requirements, faced fierce opposition.—
Matthew Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Mar. 2026
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No single line embodies both the overflowing kindness and fierce competence of small-town Brainerd's chief of police, Marge Gunderson.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Hensley made 23 saves and the Frost held off a furious rally from the New York Sirens to win 4-3 in front of 15,512 fans — another statement of intent for this city and its hope to land a professional women’s hockey team in the near future.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
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The triple gave the Mavericks a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter and sent fans at Rocket Arena into a furious rage.—
Mike Curtis,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That wider region rewards exploration at every turn — Tanzania with its spice‑laden coastlines, volcanic craters and island rhythms, or Madagascar with its baobab trees, lemurs and landscapes that feel almost extraterrestrial.—
David Dickstein,
Oc Register,
18 Mar. 2026
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Schrodinger basin, a large impact crater near the moon’s south pole, shows evidence of geologically recent volcanic activity.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tempestuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempestuous. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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