turbulence
noun
tur·bu·lence
| \ ˈtər-byə-lən(t)s
\
\
Definition of turbulence
: the quality or state of being turbulent: such as
a
: great commotion or agitation
emotional turbulence
b
: irregular atmospheric motion especially when characterized by up-and-down currents
c
: departure in a fluid from a smooth flow
Examples of turbulence in a Sentence
The plane hit quite a bit of turbulence during our flight.
A period of turbulence preceded the riots.
Recent Examples on the Web
Some encounter ecological turmoil — floods, storms, earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires — and political turbulence so severe that they don’t get started, are seriously delayed or fail midway through construction. — Keith Schneider, ProPublica, "West Virginia Bets Big on Plastics, and on Backing of Trump Administration," 31 July 2019 Amid the turbulence of unemployment, stop-and-search laws and bigotry facing black youths in 1980s Britain, two former friends square off in the ring in the hope — perhaps deluded — that a sports title might offer a way out. — Philip Brandes, latimes.com, "Hollywood Fringe Festival kicks off three-week marathon of 400-plus shows," 14 June 2019 Others face substantial turbulence before even getting off the ground. — John D. Stoll, WSJ, "In ‘Mergers of Equals,’ One Side Is Always a Bit More Equal," 14 June 2019 Here’s a look at other companies that recently have courted controversy or been caught in political turbulence. — Alexandra Olson, The Seattle Times, "A look at companies embroiled in recent political debates," 4 Sep. 2018 Despite the market turbulence, here’s the standard advice for investors: Don’t panic. — Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, "Three financial experts address retirees’ five most pressing worries about the recession and their retirement funds," 26 Aug. 2019 Given all the turbulence, few expect such a high-stakes deal to happen soon. — The Economist, "Cathay Pacific’s fate rattles multinationals in Hong Kong," 22 Aug. 2019 But as major college sports nears the end of a decade of conference-switching and turbulence, and as ESPN is in the midst of a radical transformation in viewing habits and media distribution, both hope the ACC Network will offer them a boost. — Kevin Draper, New York Times, "New Cable Network for A.C.C. Heightens Arms Race in College Sports," 22 Aug. 2019 Since the start of 2019, the airline has hit a near-constant spell of turbulence, including the surprise resignation of its CEO, the axing of key transatlantic routes, and multiple analyst downgrades. — Natasha Frost, Quartz, "Why Norwegian Air is failing," 21 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'turbulence.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for turbulence
turbulence
noun
English Language Learners Definition of turbulence
: sudden, violent movements of air or water
: a state of confusion, violence, or disorder
See the full definition for turbulence in the English Language Learners Dictionary
turbulence
noun
tur·bu·lence
| \ ˈtər-byə-ləns
\
\
Kids Definition of turbulence
: irregular movements of air currents
The ride got rough when the plane hit turbulence.
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