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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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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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 recognition comes after a turbulent year for the ABC late-night series.
—
Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Jimmy Kimmel is reflecting on his turbulent 2025.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
The performance earned him a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination, reframing his turbulent life as a kind of method biography.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 4 Jan. 2026
It’s been a turbulent first two years for McCarthy.
—Dianna Russini, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for turbulent
Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Jimmy Kimmel is reflecting on his turbulent 2025.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
The performance earned him a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination, reframing his turbulent life as a kind of method biography.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 4 Jan. 2026
It’s been a turbulent first two years for McCarthy.
—Dianna Russini, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for turbulent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turbulent
Adjective
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Safavi said the blackout coincided with violent confrontations in several regions.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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Parallel societies in certain urban areas and rising violent crime statistics linked to some migrant cohorts in countries such as Sweden and Germany led to the dramatic rise of populist and patriotic parties across the continent, from France to Italy to the Netherlands.—
Daniel Ross Goodman,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Weather conditions and rough seas can influence whether SpaceX and NASA commit to undock from the ISS and target a specific splashdown site.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
15 Jan. 2026
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The financials are having another rough day as big bank investors took profits in Citigroup , Bank of America , and Wells Fargo after earnings, following a similar trend with JPMorgan on Tuesday.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Her family later learned that on April 23, 2021 — the day Parker found his aunt in a bleak mood — Dee had an angry confrontation over financial issues with two employees of the trucking company.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
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Some of Tarr’s most memorable scenes feature landscapes, often bleak and despairing settings of decaying Hungarian towns, punctuated with close-ups of characters’ faces.—
John Penner,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The film is set against the backdrop of the Wars of the Roses, the tumultuous period in the 15th century wherein two rival houses battled for control of the English monarchy.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Jan. 2026
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As the series unfolds, Lucy and Stephen's tumultuous bond plays out over the course of dual timelines, from their meeting in 2007 at the fictional Baird College to eight years later in 2015.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Protecting Rodgers against the Texans’ ferocious pass rush represents a tall task, though.—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
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Aside from being a general nuisance with their ferocious snores, pungent odors and growls, bears can do serious damage to a home.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But every point matters for the Sabres, and these 2 were enough to put them in the second wild-card spot based on points percentage.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Those interviews can be conducted through wild-card weekend and are limited to three hours in length.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Bella escaped her family’s Houston, Texas, backyard on a rainy New Year's Eve in 2020.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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Chicago saw its rainiest January day in more than 50 years on Thursday night, as the storms even forced an unprecedented rainout for the Bulls game at the United Center.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The study made a significant contribution, if not clarification, to this academic niche — medieval migration wasn’t seasonal, nor sporadic and intense.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Jan. 2026
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Trying to keep up with tariff news, especially as a consumer who isn't necessarily an expert in economic policy, can feel like dodging sporadic jump scares.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turbulent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turbulent. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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