TURBULENCE Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

turbulence

noun

Definition of turbulence

as in upheaval

a state of violence, confusion, and disorder There was much turbulence in their town after a string of tragedies.

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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 turbulence Disjointed curation may reflect turbulence in the museum’s management ahead of the opening. — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026 Atmospheric turbulence near the horizon can make Venus wobble and shimmer, but its phase usually cuts through. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 4 Sep. 2026 Defensive stocks have been on a roll as the AI trade has hit turbulence. — Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026 And, despite some disquiet at Xi’s massing of power and reluctance to lay out a succession plan, the Party seems sufficiently institutionalized and united around key objectives to navigate some future turbulence in leadership transition. — Ben Bland, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for turbulence

Recent Examples of Synonyms for turbulence

Noun

But external leadership quickly devolves if our inner landscapes are left scattered to the wind during massive, often uninvited personal upheavals.

— Patrick Murphy, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
The premiere was the first ratings report card for the program since a major upheaval that occurred behind the scenes under CBS News Editor in Chief Bari Weiss.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of upheaval

Noun

No one had seen anyone enter the property or even heard any commotion that morning.

— Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026
According to the warrant, the victim was only able to escape when a coach heard the commotion, entered the locker room and told the boys to settle down.

— Steven Rosenbaum, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of commotion

Noun

Amiri finally found an apartment with an elevator big enough for his three kids, but is experiencing the downside of the excitement surrounding Celine Dion’s return to the stage with a residency at Paris La Défense Arena.

— Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026
The reaction was overwhelmingly positive after feeling prioritized by management, which was followed by the excitement of seeing a press release go live and be picked up by the media.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of excitement

Noun

The person upstairs came down, confronted the man involved in the disturbance and shot him at least once, according to the release.

— Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2026
The ecological consequences of losing what remains Some coastal old-growth stands on Vancouver Island have not experienced a major disturbance since the end of the last ice age some 12,000 years ago.

— Annika Hammerschlag, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of disturbance

Noun

October, the best time in the baseball calendar, will be at least a little different this year because of the labor strife that awaits in the offseason.

— Jim Bowden, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Congress created temporary protections in 1990 TPS was created by Congress in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries suffering from natural disasters or civil strife.

— Julia Ainsley, NBC news, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of strife

Noun

Smith-Shawver cruised through his first two innings Monday before running into trouble in the sixth, giving up a two-run home run to Pete Crow-Armstrong, an NL MVP candidate.

— Jesús Cano, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
This year, his boss waged a military war with Iran that continues to exacerbate America’s cost-of-living troubles and rattle the bond market.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of trouble

Noun

How much does nothing weigh, when the nothing is filled with longing, curiosity, confusion, discomfort, and grief?

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Without that discipline, organizations may end up creating more dashboards while preserving the same confusion.

— Suresh Rajapakse, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of confusion

Noun

Nissen said the team was prepared to play despite the week’s turmoil, a sentiment echoed by several players, the Tribune reported.

— Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
The sneaker industry as a whole is in a period of turmoil, given that consumers don’t appear to want to pay full price for shoes.

— Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of turmoil

Browse Nearby Words

turboprops

turbulence

turbulent

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“Turbulence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turbulence. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of turbulence

noun

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