1
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
the turbulent struggle for civil rights that shook up American society in the 1960s
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rough
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements
the turbulent rapids of the river were certainly daunting to those of us who were new to river rafting
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3
as in bleak
marked by wet and windy conditions
expect turbulent weather as the cold front brings rain and sleet
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in tumultuous
marked by sudden or violent disturbance
these are turbulent, dangerous times in a region known for being a powder keg
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of turbulent
The mega monsoons, vast deserts, volcanic eruptions, and enormous terrestrial animals and marine life of the turbulent Permian Period feature prominently, as the Earth reaches the brink of ecological collapse.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
His answers suggested a departure from some of the more aggressive policies considered and enacted during Kristi Noem’s turbulent leadership at DHS.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
Alana and June have had a turbulent relationship over the years.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 17 June 2026
The findings add to a growing body of research of turbulent weather on WASP-121 b, including recent data from the Very Large Telescope in Chile that revealed complex, layered and violent wind patterns and jet streams spanning half the world.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for turbulent
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
His answers suggested a departure from some of the more aggressive policies considered and enacted during Kristi Noem’s turbulent leadership at DHS.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
Alana and June have had a turbulent relationship over the years.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 17 June 2026
The findings add to a growing body of research of turbulent weather on WASP-121 b, including recent data from the Very Large Telescope in Chile that revealed complex, layered and violent wind patterns and jet streams spanning half the world.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for turbulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turbulent
Adjective
-
The scenes echoed earlier playoff celebrations, including a massive watch-party gathering of roughly 7,000 people in Bryant Park during Game 2 that turned violent and destructive, according to a law enforcement official.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Maclean’s work traffics in deep fakes and glitch aesthetics, rainbow cuteness and the tropes of pulp—but these are set against violent dystopias and a world of cruelties borne, especially, by women (see her 2018 video Make Me Up as an example).—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
For as rough as the lineup continued to look, the injuries are yet again piling up on the pitching side.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2026
-
This gives you a rough idea of how much of each ingredient is contained in a food.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
My father is a can-do, glass-half-full guy, a quality that has always felt like a rebuke of my own bleak world view, which makes the poor man literally wince.—
Sarah Miller,
New Yorker,
20 June 2026
-
The numbers were even bleaker in other categories.—
Carlos De Loera,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
Detailing the tumultuous life of Black, gay Chiron (played in ascending ages by Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, and Trevante Rhodes, all astonishing) in three parts, Moonlight examines the complex intersections of Blackness, masculinity, and queerness with heartwrenching nuance.—
Rachel Simon,
Vulture,
19 June 2026
-
Global costs The Iran war has delivered a tumultuous blow globally.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
So playing characters who were so ferocious and bold and confident and determined and all that helped me profoundly in my personal life.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2026
-
Your ferocious work ethic and absolutely unshakable moral fiber.—
Scott Bauer,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
Though the Guardians have a share of first place with the White Sox and a three-game cushion over the Athletics in wild-card positioning, the club is about to weather some significant time without José Ramírez or Chase DeLauter.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Rosenthal and other salary cap critics point out that wild spending is no guarantee of success, and many clubs operating on a shoestring, like the Milwaukee Brewers, have found ways to win consistently.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Cloudy and rainy conditions prevail throughout the morning, then in the afternoon the sun pokes through with calm winds.—
Kendrick Calfee
June 16,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
-
Costa Rican authorities have issued a nationwide green alert, warning that an intensifying rainy season and a developing Pacific low-pressure system threaten to trigger even more catastrophic landslides.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Excluding the special cases of meteor showers, a viewer on the ground will see only about five or so sporadic meteors per hour on average, which isn’t terribly many.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
12 June 2026
-
While a bus was lit on fire in Belfast, a police car in the town of Portadown was set ablaze as sporadic pockets of disorder broke out into other parts of Northern Ireland.—
Olivia-Anne Cleary,
Time,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turbulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turbulent. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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