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
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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
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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
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4
as in bleak
marked by wet and windy conditions
stay indoors this weekend as the weather promises to be tempestuous
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tempestuous
The role of Dario was followed by a bit role in the 2013 romance drama Behind the Candelabra alongside Matt Damon and Michael Douglas, about the tempestuous romance between pianist Liberace and his much younger lover.
—
Jessica Wang, EW.com, 21 Jan. 2025
The decision to withhold intelligence and military aid came on the heels of a tempestuous White House visit last week by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Associated Press, TIME, 8 Mar. 2025
And yet what should have been the end of a tempestuous season wasn’t.
—Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
Fauset’s remarkable career and tempestuous relationship with civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois are explored in Victoria Christopher Murray’s dynamic tale.
—Staff, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempestuous
Jessica Wang, EW.com, 21 Jan. 2025
The decision to withhold intelligence and military aid came on the heels of a tempestuous White House visit last week by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Associated Press, TIME, 8 Mar. 2025
And yet what should have been the end of a tempestuous season wasn’t.
—Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
Fauset’s remarkable career and tempestuous relationship with civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois are explored in Victoria Christopher Murray’s dynamic tale.
—Staff, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tempestuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tempestuous
Adjective
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Adams said the pair had discussed how to combat violent migrant gangs and embedding more New York Police Department officers into federal task forces.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Third, the violent reaction in financial markets that followed Mr. Trump's latest tariff salvo could persuade him to change course.—
Alain Sherter,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Losses weren’t quite as dire as on Thursday for media and tech stocks, but the morning still signaled a glum end to a turbulent week.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2025
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The court’s decision marks the end of what has been a turbulent presidency.—
Max Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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If history provides any clues, the U.S. soybean farmers are in for a rough year.—
Ken Roberts,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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This is his first-person account of how a rough start after high school eventually led to a job at The Star and a redemptive moment while on assignment.—
Dominick Williams,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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And yet even the breeziest of Catullus’ occasional poems can suddenly betray flashes of ferocious emotion.—
Daniel Mendelsohn,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
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In terms of food security, the abundance of the blue catfish available could assist people in need, and on the flipside, rid the bay of a ferocious predator.—
Kristin L. Wolfe,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Jackson estate explicitly wanted nothing about Chandler in the film, so fact that the allegations do appear has led to a fierce internal dispute and extensive reshoots, Deadline has confirmed.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2025
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The bottom line: The total number of applicants nationwide remains below record highs seen in the 1990s, per the WSJ, but the year-over-year jump still means fierce competition for aspiring lawyers.—
Torey Van Oot,
Axios,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Martin’s work has taken on a furious pace in the past few months amid the Trump administration’s campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion protocols and health, welfare and Medicaid cuts that will fall hard on vulnerable Black Americans.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
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The Leafs hatched a furious last-minute comeback to force overtime, only to lose 6-5 in a shootout to the Sharks, Toronto’s second such loss to San Jose this month.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Analysis of the basaltic (volcanic) rock brought back from the SPA basin by Chang'e 6 yields a mantle source water content of between just 1 and 1.5 μg.g⁻¹ (micrograms — millionths of a gram — per gram of sample).—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Black Sands Beach United States California’s Black Sands Beach, near the tiny town of Shelter Cove, is a 3.5-mile shoreline blanketed in smooth, black pebbles, a result of volcanic rock eroded by waves.—
Mariette Williams,
AFAR Media,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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King’s 1981 book about a mother and son who get trapped in their car while protecting themselves from a rabid dog was first adapted for the screen in the 1983.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2025
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The independent releasing strategy tied to another of Roth’s points of horror, the rabid fanbase.—
Borys Kit,
The Hollywood Reporter,
14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tempestuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tempestuous. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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