tempestuous
adjective
tem·pes·tu·ous tem-ˈpes-chə-wəs 
-ˈpesh-
: of, relating to, or resembling a tempest : turbulent, stormy
tempestuous weather
a tempestuous relationship
tempestuously adverb
tempestuousness noun
Did you know?
Time is sometimes marked in seasons, and seasons are associated with the weather. This explains how tempestās—a Latin word for "time," "season," and "weather"—gave rise to tempestuous, an English adjective for things turbulent and stormy.
Synonyms
- bang-bang
- blood-and-guts
- convulsive
- cyclonic
- explosive
- ferocious
- fierce
- furious
- hammer-and-tongs
- hot
- knock-down, drag-out
- knock-down-and-drag-out
- paroxysmal
- rabid
- rough
- stormy
- tumultuous
- turbulent
- violent
- volcanic
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
order was restored to the court after the judge put a stop to the defendant's tempestuous outburst in terms of social change, the 1960s are generally considered the most tempestuous decade in recent American history
Recent Examples on the Web Matt Smith as his tempestuous brother; Emma D’Arcy as the king’s headstrong daughter; and Olivia Cooke as a courtier at the center of things. 
New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022 What an idyllic setting, indeed, for a very dark, very extreme, very tender, very brutal, very tempestuous, and very funny film. Joe Hsieh, The New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2022 Englert, who plays Camille, added that the show focuses on the tempestuous passion between Camille and Valmont, which sometimes takes the form of love, and sometimes... does not. Emma Dibdin, Town & Country, 12 Aug. 2022 Teammates, coaches and family members all describe the tempestuous slugger as an ultimate competitor who carries with him a total belief in his ability to win any confrontation at the plate, no matter the time or place. Joe Noga, cleveland, 11 Aug. 2022 But when he is found murdered after ending their tempestuous relationship, all signs point to Kya as the culprit. Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 22 July 2022 Each season features a couple (or couples) in which one is angry, demanding, and tempestuous, while the other is relatively passive and withdrawn. Lidija Haas, The New Republic, 10 June 2022 Adrian Fenty’s tempestuous one term in office was defined by his takeover of the city’s public school system. Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 22 June 2022 Randy Mercer, a park-visitor safety technician, was struck by the problem on a tempestuous day about 10 years ago. Chloe Williams, The Atlantic, 20 June 2022 See More
New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022 What an idyllic setting, indeed, for a very dark, very extreme, very tender, very brutal, very tempestuous, and very funny film. Joe Hsieh, The New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2022 Englert, who plays Camille, added that the show focuses on the tempestuous passion between Camille and Valmont, which sometimes takes the form of love, and sometimes... does not. Emma Dibdin, Town & Country, 12 Aug. 2022 Teammates, coaches and family members all describe the tempestuous slugger as an ultimate competitor who carries with him a total belief in his ability to win any confrontation at the plate, no matter the time or place. Joe Noga, cleveland, 11 Aug. 2022 But when he is found murdered after ending their tempestuous relationship, all signs point to Kya as the culprit. Adrianna Freedman, Good Housekeeping, 22 July 2022 Each season features a couple (or couples) in which one is angry, demanding, and tempestuous, while the other is relatively passive and withdrawn. Lidija Haas, The New Republic, 10 June 2022 Adrian Fenty’s tempestuous one term in office was defined by his takeover of the city’s public school system. Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 22 June 2022 Randy Mercer, a park-visitor safety technician, was struck by the problem on a tempestuous day about 10 years ago. Chloe Williams, The Atlantic, 20 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English tempestuous, Latinization of tempestous, borrowed from Anglo-French, re-formation of Late Latin tempestuōsus, from tempestu-, probably extracted from Latin tempestūt-, tempestūs, archaic variant of tempestāt-, tempestās "stretch of time, season, weather, tempest entry 1" + -ōsus -ous
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
tempestuous
adjective
tem·pes·tu·ous tem-ˈpes-chə-wəs
: very stormy
tempestuous
adjective
1
as in turbulent
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
- turbulent
- violent
- ferocious
- fierce
- furious
- rough
- tumultuous
- volcanic
- stormy
- vicious
- rabid
- explosive
- hot
- brutal
- convulsive
- cyclonic
- volatile
- paroxysmal
- aggressive
- savage
- contentious
- hostile
- knock-down-and-drag-out
- destructive
- pugnacious
- knock-down, drag-out
- barbarous
- frantic
- antagonistic
- mad
- belligerent
- blood-and-guts
- quarrelsome
- bellicose
- hammer-and-tongs
- truculent
- bang-bang
- combative
- combustible
- frenzied
- agitated
- assertive
- ruinous
- gladiatorial
- cataclysmic
- cataclysmal
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- peaceful
- peaceable
- calm
- serene
- tranquil
- nonviolent
- pacific
- halcyon
- unaggressive
- nonbelligerent
2
as in tumultuous
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
- turbulent
- tumultuous
- stormy
- convulsive
- cataclysmic
- fitful
- boisterous
- sporadic
- spasmodic
- riotous
- noisy
- cataclysmal
- furious
- clamorous
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- calm
- placid
- serene
- tranquil
- peaceful
- undisturbed
- untroubled
- unperturbed
- unshaken
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
- turbulent
- rough
- tumultuous
- stormy
- wild
- raging
- brutal
- harsh
- violent
- rugged
- bleak
- severe
- unsettled
- blustery
- blustering
- unquiet
- inclement
- nasty
- roily
- squally
- raw
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- placid
- calm
- serene
- quiet
- tranquil
- peaceful
- halcyon
- bright
- sunny
- clear
- cloudless
- fair
- sunshiny
- unclouded
- clement
4
as in bleak
marked by wet and windy conditions stay indoors this weekend as the weather promises to be tempestuous Synonyms & Similar Words
- turbulent
- bleak
- stormy
- rainy
- rough
- snowy
- inclement
- dirty
- squally
- nasty
- foul
- raw
- gusty
- windswept
- blustery
- blustering
- windblown
- breezy
- misty
- hazy
- murky
- overcast
- cloudy
- blowy
- foggy
- sunless
- soupy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- bright
- sunny
- clear
- cloudless
- fair
- placid
- calm
- sunshiny
- pleasant
- serene
- peaceful
- unclouded
- clement
- rainless
- balmy
- halcyon