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
Scorsese and Liza Minnelli were one tempestuous couple.
—
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2025
The novel and its three sequels, collectively known as the Neapolitan Quartet, follow two women, Lila and Elena, through a tempestuous, competitive, and emotionally intense friendship that doubles as a history of postwar feminism and postwar Italy.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
Norvell was hired as a contrast to the personally tempestuous and offensively conservative Addazio.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
The union would turn out to be tempestuous and the two were divorced in 1961 after five years together.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempestuous
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2025
The novel and its three sequels, collectively known as the Neapolitan Quartet, follow two women, Lila and Elena, through a tempestuous, competitive, and emotionally intense friendship that doubles as a history of postwar feminism and postwar Italy.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
Norvell was hired as a contrast to the personally tempestuous and offensively conservative Addazio.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
The union would turn out to be tempestuous and the two were divorced in 1961 after five years together.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempestuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempestuous
Adjective
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Safavi said the blackout coincided with violent confrontations in several regions.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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Parallel societies in certain urban areas and rising violent crime statistics linked to some migrant cohorts in countries such as Sweden and Germany led to the dramatic rise of populist and patriotic parties across the continent, from France to Italy to the Netherlands.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Use extra caution near the surf zone as these large waves will be capable of sweeping people into the frigid and turbulent ocean water.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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The story of the Platonic representation hypothesis paper began in early 2023, a turbulent time for AI researchers.—
Ben Brubaker,
Quanta Magazine,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Weather conditions and rough seas can influence whether SpaceX and NASA commit to undock from the ISS and target a specific splashdown site.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
15 Jan. 2026
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The financials are having another rough day as big bank investors took profits in Citigroup , Bank of America , and Wells Fargo after earnings, following a similar trend with JPMorgan on Tuesday.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Public reaction to his fraudulence was ferocious.—
David Treuer,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
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Maye did make his first ever NFL start last season against Houston, which has become known for having one of the most ferocious defenses in the league.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Competition remains fierce in the Charlotte region to grab a piece of the lucrative grocery market share.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Jan. 2026
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But long before the fire destroyed a broad section of the San Gabriel Valley community, a small but fierce army of people devoted themselves to others who were without a home.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But as far back as 2024, signs began appearing that the furious pace of construction and the upward spiral of rents wouldn’t continue.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
13 Jan. 2026
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As furious protests enter their third week and bring Iran to the precipice of change, the country’s theocratic government is trying to survive by harshly cracking down on the widening demonstrations.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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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,
14 Jan. 2026
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Alaska’s wealth of lakes can be attributed to a few factors, including erosion, tectonic processes, the thawing of permafrost, and volcanic and glacial activity.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tempestuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempestuous. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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