Tempestuous — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /tem-ˈpes-chə-wəs/ tem·pes·tu·ous

Meaning & Definition of Tempestuous

Tempestuous (adjective)

  1. of, relating to, or resembling a tempest, turbulent, stormy

Tempestuous (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: bang-bang, blood-and-guts, convulsive, cyclonic, explosive, ferocious, fierce, furious, hammer-and-tongs, hot, knock-down, drag-out, paroxysmal, rabid, rough, stormy, tumultuous, turbulent, violent, volcanic
    related: barbarous, brutal, savage, vicious, antagonistic, hostile, aggressive, assertive, bellicose, belligerent, combative, contentious, gladiatorial, pugnacious, quarrelsome, truculent, combustible, volatile, agitated, frantic, frenzied, mad, cataclysmal, destructive, ruinous
    opposite: nonviolent, peaceable, peaceful
    near: calm, halcyon, pacific, serene, tranquil, nonbelligerent, unaggressive

  2. marked by sudden or violent disturbance

    "in terms of social change, the 1960s are generally considered the most tempestuous decade in recent American history"

    similar: cataclysmal, convulsive, stormy, tumultuous, turbulent
    related: fitful, spasmodic, sporadic, boisterous, clamorous, furious, noisy, riotous
    near: calm, peaceful, placid, serene, tranquil, undisturbed, unperturbed, unshaken, untroubled

  3. marked by turmoil or disturbance especially of natural elements

    "we spent a tempestuous night stranded on the summit of the mountain"

    similar: rough, rugged, stormy, tumultuous, turbulent, wild
    related: blustering, blustery, raging, violent, brutal, harsh, severe, roily, unquiet, unsettled, bleak, inclement, nasty, raw, squally
    near: calm, halcyon, peaceful, placid, quiet, serene, tranquil, bright, clear, clement, cloudless, fair, sunny, sunshiny, unclouded

  4. marked by wet and windy conditions

    "stay indoors this weekend as the weather promises to be tempestuous"

    similar: bleak, dirty, foul, inclement, nasty, raw, rough, squally, stormy, turbulent
    related: blowy, blustering, blustery, breezy, gusty, windblown, windswept, cloudy, overcast, sunless, rainy, snowy, foggy, hazy, misty, murky, soupy
    opposite: bright, clear, clement, cloudless, fair, sunny, sunshiny, unclouded
    near: rainless, balmy, calm, halcyon, peaceful, placid, pleasant, serene

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Tempestuous

The most common words with a similar meaning to Tempestuous:

bang-bang, blood-and-guts, convulsive, cyclonic, explosive, ferocious, fierce, furious, hammer-and-tongs, hot, knock-down, drag-out, paroxysmal, rabid, rough, stormy, tumultuous, turbulent, violent, volcanic, cataclysmal, rugged, wild, bleak, dirty, foul, inclement, nasty, raw, squally

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Tempestuous

Words with the opposite meaning of Tempestuous:

nonviolent, peaceable, peaceful, bright, clear, clement, cloudless, fair, sunny, sunshiny, unclouded

Related Words for Tempestuous

barbarous, brutal, savage, vicious, antagonistic, hostile, aggressive, assertive, bellicose, belligerent, combative, contentious, gladiatorial, pugnacious, quarrelsome, truculent, combustible, volatile, agitated, frantic, frenzied, mad, destructive, ruinous, fitful, spasmodic, sporadic, boisterous, clamorous, noisy

Near Antonyms of Tempestuous

calm, halcyon, pacific, serene, tranquil, nonbelligerent, unaggressive, placid, undisturbed, unperturbed, unshaken, untroubled, quiet, rainless, balmy, pleasant

Word Forms of Tempestuous

Derived words: tempestuously (adverb), tempestuousness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Tempestuous

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:1" + -ōsus -ous

First known use: 15th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Tempestuous

What does "Tempestuous" mean?

"Tempestuous" means of, relating to, or resembling a tempest, turbulent, stormy. As an adjective, it is defined as: of, relating to, or resembling a tempest, turbulent, stormy. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Tempestuous"?

Other words for "Tempestuous" include bang-bang, blood-and-guts, convulsive, cyclonic, explosive, ferocious, fierce and furious. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Tempestuous" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Tempestuous"?

There are 83 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Tempestuous". Common alternatives include bang-bang, blood-and-guts, convulsive, cyclonic, explosive, ferocious, fierce, furious, hammer-and-tongs and hot.

What is the opposite of "Tempestuous"?

Antonyms of "Tempestuous" include nonviolent, peaceable, peaceful, bright, clear, clement, cloudless and fair. Near antonyms include calm, halcyon, pacific and serene.

How do you use "Tempestuous" in a sentence?

Examples of "Tempestuous" in a sentence: "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"; "we spent a tempestuous night stranded on the summit of the mountain".

Is "Tempestuous" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Tempestuous" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Tempestuous"?

"Tempestuous" is pronounced /tem-ˈpes-chə-wəs/ and divided into syllables as tem·pes·tu·ous.

What is the origin of the word "Tempestuous"?

"Tempestuous" comes from 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:1" + -ōsus -ous. First known use: 15th century.