1
as in commotion
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in upheaval
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 roar
a violent shouting
went to the window to see what the great tumult was and discovered a crowd of demonstrators marching down the street
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tumult
The tumult has since quieted and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has reduced the hours of an overnight curfew after police made no arrests related to the protests Monday.
—
Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 17 June 2025
Despite the tumult, Wilson kept recording and performing, sometimes showing glimpses of his former self, yet always doomed to comparisons with his earlier work.
—Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
Amid all that success, however, there was some tumult when original interior design expert Bobby Berk left the show in 2023.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2025
For Mao, this was to shore up power following the calamitous Great Leap Forward and amid the tumult of the Cultural Revolution.
—William Hurst, Foreign Affairs, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tumult
Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 17 June 2025
Despite the tumult, Wilson kept recording and performing, sometimes showing glimpses of his former self, yet always doomed to comparisons with his earlier work.
—Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025
Amid all that success, however, there was some tumult when original interior design expert Bobby Berk left the show in 2023.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2025
For Mao, this was to shore up power following the calamitous Great Leap Forward and amid the tumult of the Cultural Revolution.
—William Hurst, Foreign Affairs, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tumult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tumult
Noun
-
Despite the commotion and all the onlookers, Monica does not recall anyone else trying to break up the altercation.—
Colson Thayer,
People.com,
12 July 2025
-
The bus driver heard the commotion, pulled over and told everyone to get off.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
12 July 2025
Noun
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Given the massive upheaval in Bieber’s life and business affairs, a brand new team around him, and his longest-ever wait in between records, industry insiders watched closely last week, wondering how Bieber would fare in the most-consequential era of his career to date.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
23 July 2025
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The Dignity Act comes in the wake of that upheaval.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
One of the Harley-Davidson Homecoming festival’s centerpiece attractions — concerts in Veterans Park in downtown Milwaukee — ended not with a roar but with a whimper July 11, and abruptly, when the concerts were canceled around 6 p.m. due to approaching storms.—
Piet Levy,
jsonline.com,
12 July 2025
-
Beneath its icy surface, hundreds of dormant subglacial volcanoes could awaken, not with a whisper, but with a roar.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Police standoff after murders Lenexa police responded around 8:30 p.m. to the Donovan family home in the 7900 block of Hallet Street for a reported armed disturbance.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
23 July 2025
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The tropical disturbance the National Hurricane Center is currently eyeing is hundreds of miles away from the Caribbean, in a stretch of ocean hurricane scientists call the main development region.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
21 July 2025
Noun
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The company, which now has a manufacturing supply chain stretching from Vietnam to Peru, is in a decent position to weather trade unrest.—
Peter Vanham,
Fortune,
21 July 2025
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Volcanic unrest and gas hazard areas Contributing: Jennifer Borresen and Shawn J. Sullivan, USA TODAY.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
17 July 2025
Noun
-
The Nothing Headphone 1’s ANC works very well at suppressing ambient noise like public chatter or airplane engines.—
Prakhar Khanna,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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And this weekend, seven stories cut through the noise in a league that somehow stays wired 24/7.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
14 July 2025
Noun
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Regardless of the political turmoil and debate around the cryptoasset sector the fact remains that institutional adoption has continued virtually unabated.—
Sean Stein Smith,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
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Months later, talent manager Roger Davies would sign Turner — who’d found fame amid much personal turmoil as one half of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue — as a solo act, launching her career into the stratosphere.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
16 July 2025
Noun
-
Among the topics discussed: Nikola Jokic caused a stir in NBA circles by … doing nothing?!—
Matt Schubert,
Denver Post,
16 July 2025
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The allegations created quite a stir—and resulted in litigation.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tumult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tumult. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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