tumults

noun

plural of tumult
1
as in commotions
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in upheavals
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order) the political tumult that swept the American colonies in the late 1700s

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in noises
a violent shouting went to the window to see what the great tumult was and discovered a crowd of demonstrators marching down the street

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tumults Even The New York Times has dedicated dozens of headlines to this year’s reality TV tumults. — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tumults
  1. commotions
  2. upheavals
  3. noises
  4. disturbances
  5. revolutions
  6. roars
  7. turmoils
  8. insurrections
Noun
  • Over the past year, men’s ski jumping has been marred by Norway’s cheating scandal and more recent genital manipulation rumors, which has become one of the early commotions of the Milano-Cortina Games.
    — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of commotions
Noun
  • The scandal in question erupted in the eighteen-thirties in the Prussian college town of Königsberg—today, after wars and upheavals, the isolated Russian city of Kaliningrad.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Like many in his generation Zhu’s early career was upended by the political upheavals of the Mao Zedong era.
    — CNN Staff, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of upheavals
Noun
  • McGee joked with the crowd that their most similar qualities were distress around loud noises and mild anxiety.
    — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Anna Watson’s lighting keeps much of the house just dim enough to make the imagination dangerous, while Tony winner Gareth Fry’s sound design surrounds the audience with ominous noises whose sources aren’t always immediately clear.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of noises
Noun
  • The smallest robot was the most agile of the three, and the largest one was the best at maintaining its trajectory when faced with disturbances meant to throw it off course.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In response to the disturbances, The Rotunda increased security at the space.
    — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbances
Noun
  • For comparison, regular drone propellers can rotate at several thousand revolutions per minute.
    — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
  • From the viewpoint of the bourgeoisie, both Jews and the aristocracy advocated revolutions and radical change, and thus both attacked the status quo.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of revolutions
Noun
  • Exactly 60 years after Williams’ induction speech on the steps of the Hall of Fame, Baker walked into the Hall and was greeted by the loud roars of another Boston Red Sox legend, David Ortiz.
    — Jose de Jesus Ortiz, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026
  • Johnson’s first budget made the CARE pilot permanent and doubled staff positions in 2024, to roars of approval from his progressive base.
    — Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
Definition of roars
Noun
  • About two couples, connected and dependent on one another, raising their kids alongside each other, facing the same turmoils, the same existential questions.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Mayer and Strong offer a broad pop-history lesson, in which the same tensions and turmoils churn on and on in their terrible cycle throughout the decades; the only thing that’s changed are the aesthetics.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Definition of turmoils
Noun
  • There were rebellions, insurrections and an Appian Way lined with crucifixions.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
  • But the regime, besieged by insurrections across the country, abandoned Manbij.
    — Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
Definition of insurrections

Browse Nearby Words

tumult
tumults
tumultuous
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tumults.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tumults. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All