1
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
in the tumult of the evacuation from the coast, we accidentally left on the television, which was of course tuned to the local newscast breathlessly reporting on the hurricane we were fleeing
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2
as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
the political tumult that swept the American colonies in the late 1700s
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3
as in roar
a violent shouting
went to the window to see what the great tumult was and discovered a crowd of demonstrators marching down the street
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tumult
Iranian leadership complained that visas for key staff members were being held up and the tumult was disturbing its preparation for the tournament.
—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
Follmer is intimately acquainted with the tumult regarding the campus.
—
Quil Lawrence,
NPR,
2 June 2026
This latest housing tumult isn’t just some Southern California weirdness.
—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
28 May 2026
Schwarz interviews activists, historians, and participants in the scene, providing valuable context for how the film’s location shooting in Greenwich Village became a focal point for the movement at a moment of social and political tumult.
—
Jason Bailey,
Vulture,
27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tumult
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
Follmer is intimately acquainted with the tumult regarding the campus.
—
Quil Lawrence,
NPR,
2 June 2026
This latest housing tumult isn’t just some Southern California weirdness.
—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
28 May 2026
Schwarz interviews activists, historians, and participants in the scene, providing valuable context for how the film’s location shooting in Greenwich Village became a focal point for the movement at a moment of social and political tumult.
—
Jason Bailey,
Vulture,
27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tumult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tumult
Noun
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Then about a week later, the son responded to a commotion outside their home and found Spencer hitting his mother in the head with a brick, according to officials.
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Seeing the commotion, Louis and Paul came galloping back.
Noun
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The federal government accelerated efforts to subdue resistance, bringing years of hardship and upheaval for Native Americans.
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The two respond to the upheaval in different ways, one embracing a new lease on life, the other feeling unmoored and disoriented.
Noun
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In the early afternoon, a roar ripped through the stifling Mississippi heat, as dozens of motorcycles leading the funeral procession rumbled into the church parking lot.
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Johnson’s first budget made the CARE pilot permanent and doubled staff positions in 2024, to roars of approval from his progressive base.
Noun
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Golt could not say what the disturbance was about.
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However, in the eastern Pacific basin, a pair of tropical disturbances are being watched for possible development in the next several days far from land.
Noun
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Haiti also did it without playing a single qualifying match in Haiti because of unrest.
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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party retained its large parliamentary majority in recent elections overshadowed by unrest in Africa’s second-most-populous country.
Noun
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Top Wall Street analysts help investors look past near-term noise and pick attractive stocks with solid long-term growth potential.
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If there’s anyone down there still alive, make noise or scream.
Noun
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The federal program, established by Congress in 1990, shields immigrants from countries in turmoil from deportation.
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This catastrophe severely exacerbates Venezuela's existing economic crisis and political turmoil, leaving children facing extreme deprivation, malnutrition, and disease.
Noun
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Through blood-curdling howls and rants about fascism, fraud, and fighting to understand your identity, Truck Violence push through ugliness to find something more unaltered and real.
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Her presence is heralded not by the sounds of howls, roars or clanking chains, but by the shutting of the door to her study, the scrape of her chair as it is pulled towards her desk, and the clanking of her type-writer keys.
Cite this Entry
“Tumult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tumult. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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