1
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
order was restored to the court after the judge put a stop to the defendant's tempestuous outburst
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in turbulent
marked by sudden or violent disturbance
in terms of social change, the 1960s are generally considered the most tempestuous decade in recent American history
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in rough
marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements
we spent a tempestuous night stranded on the summit of the mountain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in bleak
marked by wet and windy conditions
stay indoors this weekend as the weather promises to be tempestuous
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 tempestuous
Meyers' enduring, sometimes tempestuous, musical partnership with fellow Southeast Side musician Doug Sahm made an indelible impact in both the Sir Douglas Quintet and the Texas Tornados.
—
Hector Saldana, San Antonio Express-News, 9 Mar. 2026
And when Varley returns to Portia after a stint with the manipulative and tempestuous Lady Penwood (Katie Leung), that’s not Bridgerton simply regressing to a status quo.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
In this administration, the first and most important is the volatile and tempestuous president.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Hong Chau is a great choice for the adult Nelly, a quietly resentful sort who causes more friction in Cathy and Heathcliff's tempestuous situation.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tempestuous
Hector Saldana, San Antonio Express-News, 9 Mar. 2026
And when Varley returns to Portia after a stint with the manipulative and tempestuous Lady Penwood (Katie Leung), that’s not Bridgerton simply regressing to a status quo.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
In this administration, the first and most important is the volatile and tempestuous president.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Hong Chau is a great choice for the adult Nelly, a quietly resentful sort who causes more friction in Cathy and Heathcliff's tempestuous situation.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tempestuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempestuous
Adjective
-
Jessica Gorman delivered emotional remarks Saturday at a vigil in Yorktown Heights, New York, honoring her daughter — a Loyola University Chicago freshman whose life was cut short in what authorities describe as a sudden, violent attack.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
29 Mar. 2026
-
That’s a reference to what Duncan always intended, and rightly so, as a holistic approach to the problem of violent crime, involving not just violence interrupting by former gang members turned peacekeepers but better education and job opportunities for the young people most at risk.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In his first novel, Il salto con le aste (1989), Domenico Starnone presented two young boys determined to escape their turbulent Neapolitan backgrounds and assert themselves as free spirits and writers in the wider world.—
Tim Parks,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Soaring food and energy costs related to world conflicts, post-pandemic labor shortages, and consumers skittish about spending in this turbulent economy have become huge challenges for restaurateurs, Guez says.—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Heat has also now allowed more than 120 points in eight of the 10 games during this rough 2-8 stretch.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Italian coast guard operated in the Libyan search and rescue area amid rough weather conditions, a spokesman said on Wednesday.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Italy happens to be in similarly ferocious form, however, and has won seven of its last eight, albeit losing twice in as many encounters with qualifying group winner Norway last year.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Despite Iran’s remarkably ferocious response across the region – attacking neighbors like Oman who days earlier mediated between Tehran and Washington - weeks of intense airstrikes against its cities and military has not magically left it a hundred feet tall.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Nothing except getting into fierce arguments with fellow-Jews, some would say, which Olitzky—who has a round, boyish face and a conciliatory manner—portrayed as a privilege rather than a burden.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
With one-of-a-kind offerings from the likes of Inglenook, Crocker & Starr, Amici Cellars, Peju, Long Meadow Ranch, and a collaboration between Dakota Shy and Detert Family Vineyards, bidding was fierce on Cabernet Franc.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Britain and France were furious—the canal carried oil and other goods that were vital to European economies—and determined to take back control.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Conservative hardliners in the House woke up furious that their Senate counterparts had passed a deal without ICE and Border Patrol funding in the dead of night.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 280 million people, sits on major seismic faults and is frequently hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Violent, volcanic explosions some 30 million years ago (after dinosaurs went extinct) created the sheer rock faces and fields of boulders that make the region's geography so unique.—
Lauren Villagran,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tempestuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempestuous. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
