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
There’s a buddy comedy element to Godard’s at times tempestuous relationship with his producer that makes for some of this film’s most trenchant inquiries into the filmmaking mindset.
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
India has also withdrawn from the 1960 Indus Water Treaty that has tempered the tempestuous relations here for decades.
—Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 5 May 2025
In effect, the movie creates a tempestuous Pavement world awaiting cinematic parsing and recombination.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 1 May 2025
And Gandolfini, who died of a heart attack in 2013 at age 51, was the show’s tempestuous soul, playing a loutish killer with a quick temper and sad eyes.
—Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempestuous
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
India has also withdrawn from the 1960 Indus Water Treaty that has tempered the tempestuous relations here for decades.
—Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 5 May 2025
In effect, the movie creates a tempestuous Pavement world awaiting cinematic parsing and recombination.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 1 May 2025
And Gandolfini, who died of a heart attack in 2013 at age 51, was the show’s tempestuous soul, playing a loutish killer with a quick temper and sad eyes.
—Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempestuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempestuous
Adjective
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Swart said another giveaway is the hotel accommodations that are arranged for violent rioters.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
21 June 2025
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The appellate panel found Trump likely satisfied the legal threshold under Section 10 of the U.S. Code, and sided with the administration’s argument that local law enforcement had failed to contain violent attacks on federal agents and property.—
Daniel Hunt,
Sacbee.com,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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Even Zelensky – who has had a turbulent relationship with Trump – came away with wins.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
25 June 2025
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Reina, Fil-Am team center back, brings us on this turbulent journey, culminating in an intimate trip to her grandmother’s hometown in the Philippines.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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Avoid scrubbing the microwave’s interior with rough materials like steel wool or abrasive sponges.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
27 June 2025
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Ransom Canyon star Josh Duhamel didn’t have a rough time getting to know the set of his new film Off the Grid because the actor lives off the grid in real-life.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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The game needed overtime — the third game that went beyond regulation in the first four contests of the series — because Edmonton mounted a ferocious comeback after falling into a three-goal first period deficit.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2025
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He’s been on a like-a-hurricane live roll lately with his ferocious new band the Chrome Hearts, who make their studio debut on Talkin to the Trees.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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The Supreme Court cases that set off the fiercest conflicts among the justices aren’t always the hot-button ones.—
Dan McLaughlin,
National Review,
25 June 2025
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And competition is fierce: Waymo has elite tech, Amazon’s Zoox is quietly advancing, and China’s Baidu is pushing fast in its home market.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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But the Thunder weathered the Pacers’ furious comeback bid on Monday, with Jalen Williams scoring 11 of his game-high 40 points in the fourth.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2025
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More: 'Unhinged': Democrats are furious Sen. Alex Padilla was hauled out of Noem briefing Noem’s agency oversees Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, which had been carrying out raids in Los Angeles.—
Riley Beggin,
USA Today,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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While the asteroid’s sun-blocking fallout caused a period of severe cooling, the next big crisis sounds eerily more familiar: About 56 million years ago, the average temperature on the planet increased by up to 5 degrees Celsius, possibly due to greenhouse gas emissions from volcanic activity.—
Tim Vernimmen,
JSTOR Daily,
19 June 2025
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Recent rumblings The volcano’s eruption follows significant volcanic activities, including 50 in two hours, up from the average eight to 10 activities per day.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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Yes, Blackhawks fans have always been a rabid bunch — the Standbys Club being a perfect example.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2025
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The Pacers had taken several of the Thunder’s best runs and their rabid defensive pressure and inverted it.—
Mike Vorkunov,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tempestuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempestuous. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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