turbulent
🇬🇧 /ˈtɜːbjʊlənt/
🇺🇸 /ˈtɜrbjələnt/
📖 Definitions
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adjective
Characterized by conflict, disorder, or confusion; not controlled or calm.; Of air, water, or another fluid: moving violently or unsteadily; having irregular flow patterns.; Of a person or group: unruly, disorderly, or difficult to control.; In physics, relating to turbulence: a state of fluid flow in which velocities vary irregularly and eddies form.
🔗 Details
Word forms
Comparative: more turbulent
Superlative: most turbulent
Collocations
turbulent timesturbulent watersturbulent flowturbulent relationshipturbulent periodturbulent air
Derivatives
turbulenceturbulentlyturbulentness
Synonyms
tumultuouschaoticdisorderlyunrulyviolentagitated
Antonyms
calmpeacefultranquilsereneplacid
Commonly confused
turbid
EN: 'Turbid' describes a liquid that is cloudy or muddy; 'turbulent' describes chaotic, violent, or disorderly conditions.
turbulence
EN: 'Turbulence' is the noun form referring to the state of being turbulent; 'turbulent' is the adjective describing something characterized by disorder or agitation.
Spelling tips
EN: Remember 'turbulent' ends in '-ent' (not '-ant') and contains 'u' after the initial 't'. The noun form 'turbulence' also ends in '-ence', not '-ance'.
💬 Examples
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The country went through a turbulent period of political upheaval and civil unrest.
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The plane experienced turbulent conditions as it flew through the storm front.
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The turbulent crowd refused to disperse despite the police warnings.
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Engineers must account for turbulent flow when designing pipelines for high-speed fluid transport.