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
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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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tumults
Noun
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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
Noun
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This year’s Oscars, the 98th edition, will also unfold with the country at war in the Middle East, but despite that symmetry, rewatching the 2003 telecast today is to be reminded of just how radically the culture of Hollywood has been altered by the political upheavals of the early aughts.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2026
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At a planning board meeting in January, an opponent of One Boca cited the upheavals of the last century and asked how anyone could approve a long-term plan given the uncertainty the next hundred years may bring.—
Jason Haber,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Cosmofonia explores the inaudible sounds and voices, including infrasonic vibrations, seismic noises, codes between different species, and acoustic traces of ecological collapse and survival.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Mar. 2026
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And while humans can often discern animal distress calls or differentiate dog barks, many animal noises may seem inconsequential to the untrained human ear.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Several businesses at the shopping center closed early because of the disturbances, police said.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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As the company seeks to double the annual number of launches from Vandenburg Space Force Base -- from around 50 to 100 — the California Coastal Commission has raised concerns about the effects on wildlife, and residents have noted disturbances from sonic booms.—
Terry Castleman,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Who knows what revolutions would be inspired, what institutions would crack, or what political forces would be empowered this time around.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
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Compared to previous technological revolutions, experts say AI is chipping away at many white-collar jobs, including coding and marketing roles, and allowing companies to reduce hiring and improve productivity with fewer workers.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Could Jacob Bridgeman hear the roars for Rory McIlroy’s 30-foot make and still finish?—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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The roars were back at the Riv on Thursday … and so was the rain.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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But the regime, besieged by insurrections across the country, abandoned Manbij.—
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
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Unlike coups or insurrections, which are swift and explicit, modern democratic backsliding is often incremental.—
Helena Carpio,
Time,
16 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Tumults.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tumults. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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