tumult
noun
tu·mult ˈtü-ˌməlt 
ˈtyü-,
also ˈtə-
1
a
: disorderly agitation or milling about of a crowd usually with uproar and confusion of voices : commotion
b
: a turbulent uprising : riot
2
: hubbub, din
3
a
: violent agitation of mind or feelings
b
: a violent outburst
Synonyms
- ado
- alarums and excursions
- ballyhoo
- blather
- bluster
- bobbery
- bother
- bustle
- clatter
- clutter [chiefly dialect]
- coil
- commotion
- corroboree [Australian]
- disturbance
- do [chiefly dialect]
- foofaraw
- fun
- furor
- furore
- fuss
- helter-skelter
- hoo-ha
- hoo-hah
- hoopla
- hubble-bubble
- hubbub
- hullabaloo
- hurly
- hurly-burly
- hurricane
- hurry
- hurry-scurry
- hurry-skurry
- kerfuffle [chiefly British]
- moil
- pandemonium
- pother
- row
- ruckus
- ruction
- rumpus
- shindy
- splore [Scottish]
- squall
- stew
- stir
- storm
- to-do
- turmoil
- uproar
- welter
- whirl
- williwaw
- zoo
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
We had to shout to be heard over the tumult. The country was in tumult. Her mind was in a tumult of emotions.
Recent Examples on the Web But Paradigm’s latest rollup follows a year of tumult and change in the agency business. 
Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Sep. 2022 But in recent years, along this slice of the Louisiana coast, the tumult and torment of a hurricane have become far less abstract. BostonGlobe.com, 5 Sep. 2022 The Korea Enterprises Federation said that the pardons gave entrepreneurs an opportunity to return to the forefront of management at a time of global economic tumult and rising competition. Jiyoung Sohn And Hakyung Kim, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 Struggling to Inspire: At a time of political tumult and economic distress, Mr. Biden has appeared less engaged than Democrats had hoped. New York Times, 3 Aug. 2022 REITs and cryptos, meanwhile, have not been safe from geopolitical tumult and rising interest rates, either, spooking investors. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 20 July 2022 Andrea Huntington, executive director of the Indiana Land Protection Alliance, wrote in a news release that people seek nature in times of tumult and uncertainty and Indiana’s natural areas saw huge increases in visitation in 2020. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 13 June 2022 In hiring a manager this offseason, the A’s sought someone ready to take on the job in a time of tumult and turnover. Matt Kawahara, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Apr. 2022 The last year has been a time of tumult and brinksmanship for European soccer. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 7 Mar. 2022 See More
Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Sep. 2022 But in recent years, along this slice of the Louisiana coast, the tumult and torment of a hurricane have become far less abstract. BostonGlobe.com, 5 Sep. 2022 The Korea Enterprises Federation said that the pardons gave entrepreneurs an opportunity to return to the forefront of management at a time of global economic tumult and rising competition. Jiyoung Sohn And Hakyung Kim, WSJ, 12 Aug. 2022 Struggling to Inspire: At a time of political tumult and economic distress, Mr. Biden has appeared less engaged than Democrats had hoped. New York Times, 3 Aug. 2022 REITs and cryptos, meanwhile, have not been safe from geopolitical tumult and rising interest rates, either, spooking investors. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 20 July 2022 Andrea Huntington, executive director of the Indiana Land Protection Alliance, wrote in a news release that people seek nature in times of tumult and uncertainty and Indiana’s natural areas saw huge increases in visitation in 2020. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 13 June 2022 In hiring a manager this offseason, the A’s sought someone ready to take on the job in a time of tumult and turnover. Matt Kawahara, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Apr. 2022 The last year has been a time of tumult and brinksmanship for European soccer. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 7 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English tumulte, from Anglo-French, from Latin tumultus; perhaps akin to Sanskrit tumula noisy
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Kids Definition
tumult
noun
tu·mult ˈtü-ˌməlt
ˈtyü-
1
: a state of noisy disorder
2
: great mental or emotional confusion
tumults
noun
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
Relevance
- commotions
- disturbances
- turmoils
- stirs
- fusses
- storms
- noises
- hurricanes
- rackets
- rows
- uproars
- fun
- clatters
- roars
- squalls
- bustles
- ructions
- clutters
- upheavals
- coils
- zoos
- ruckuses
- ados
- furors
- alarums and excursions
- furores
- kerfuffles
- moils
- whirls
- ballyhoos
- hubbubs
- outcries
- bluster
- welters
- bothers
- pandemoniums
- corroborees
- rumpuses
- blathers
- stews
- flurries
- hullabaloos
- williwaws
- disorders
- howls
- eruptions
- clamors
- hooplas
- pothers
- shindies
- shindys
- splores
- cacophonies
- foofaraws
- hurlies
- bobberies
- hoo-hahs
- outbursts
- helter-skelters
- outbreaks
- hurly-burlies
- brawls
- hubble-bubbles
- hurry-skurries
- hurry-scurries
- do's
- dos
- dins
- fevers
- scuffles
- to-dos
- hoo-has
- frays
- flutters
- melees
- fracases
- fracas
- frets
- tizzies
- hassles
- flare-ups
- hue and cries
- mêlées
- dithers
- lathers
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- calms
- quiets
- hushes
- tranquillities
- tranquilities
- peaces
- rests
- quietudes
- orders
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
- upheavals
- insurrections
- revolutions
- revolts
- earthquakes
- tempests
- turmoils
- uprisings
- convulsions
- storms
- rebellions
- paroxysms
- uproars
- mutinies
- cataclysms
- commotions
- eruptions
- insurgencies
- outbursts
- stirs
- upsets
- spasms
- overthrows
- subversions
- outbreaks
- seizures
- bouleversements
- overturns
- fits
- squalls
- rows
- bustles
- coils
- ructions
- routs
- furors
- furores
- fusses
- bluster
- welters
- flare-ups
- stews
- ruckuses
- williwaws
- hubbubs
- shindies
- pandemoniums
- shindys
- rumpuses
- hullabaloos
- bobberies
- hurly-burlies
- to-dos
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
- noises
- roars
- outcries
- vociferations
- howls
- clamors
- uproars
- protests
- hubbubs
- rackets
- hullabaloos
- jangle
- dins
- hue and cries
- outbursts
- clangors
- cris de coeur
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rumblings
- murmurs
- rumbles
- mumbles