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A state of anarchy occurs when there is no organization or order in a nation or country, especially when no effective government exists.
If you deal with a difficult situation with aplomb, you deal with it in a confident and skillful way.
Bedlam is a situation with a great deal of noise and confusion.
Someone who is boisterous is noisy, excitable, and full of boundless energy; therefore, they show a lack of disciplined restraint at times.
A cacophony is a loud, unpleasant mixture of sounds.
A cataclysm is a violent, sudden event that causes great change and/or harm.
A chaotic state of affairs is in a state of confusion and complete disorder.
Consternation is the feeling of anxiety or fear, sometimes paralyzing in its effect, and often caused by something unexpected that has happened.
If you describe someone, usually a young woman, as demure, you mean that she is quiet, shy, and always behaves modestly.
When you are in a state of disarray, you are disorganized, disordered, and in a state of confusion.
If something discomfits you, it makes you feel embarrassed, confused, uncomfortable, or frustrated.
If something disconcerts you, it makes you feel anxious, worried, or confused.
A situation or thing that is discordant does not fit in with other things; therefore, it is disagreeable, strange, or unpleasant.
When someone feels disquiet about a situation, they feel very worried or nervous.
Someone who is ebullient is filled with enthusiasm, very happy, and extremely excited about something.
An effervescent individual is lively, very happy, and enthusiastic.
If you exhibit equanimity, you demonstrate a calm mental state—without showing upset or annoyance—when you deal with a difficult situation.
Euphony is a pleasing sound in speech or music.
To foment is to encourage people to protest, fight, or cause trouble and violent opposition to something that is viewed by some as undesirable.
A fracas is a rough and noisy fight or loud argument that can involve multiple people.
A halcyon time is calm, peaceful, and undisturbed.
When two people are in a harmonious state, they are in agreement with each other; when a sound is harmonious, it is pleasant or agreeable to the ear.
When there is havoc, there is great disorder, widespread destruction, and much confusion.
If someone is imperturbable, they are always calm and not easily upset or disturbed by any situation, even dangerous ones.
A maelstrom is either a large whirlpool in the sea or a violent or agitated state of affairs.
A melee is a noisy, confusing, hand-to-hand fight involving a good number of people.
A mellifluous voice or piece of music is gentle and pleasant to listen to.
Someone who is nonchalant is very relaxed and appears not to be worried about anything.
Someone who is obstreperous is noisy, unruly, and difficult to control.
Pandemonium is a very noisy and uncontrolled situation, especially one that is caused by a lot of angry or excited people.
A placid scene or person is calm, quiet, and undisturbed—and generally tends to remain so.
A raucous sound is unpleasantly loud, harsh, and noisy.
If you are in a state of repose, your mind is at peace or your body is at rest.
People who are reticent are unwilling to share information, especially about themselves, their thoughts, or their feelings.
A serene sky is cloudless.
If you are steadfast, you have a firm belief in your actions or opinions and refuse to give up or change them because you are certain that you are doing the right thing.
A stoic person does not show their emotions and does not complain when bad things happen to them.
A taciturn person is quiet or silent by nature.
A tempestuous storm, temper, or crowd is violent, wild, and in an uproar.
If something is tranquil, it is peaceful, calm, and quiet.
Turbulence describes a state of extreme disorder or confusion; it can also refer to unpredictable wind currents.
When you experience turmoil, there is great confusion, disturbance, instability, and disorder in your life.
To be unfazed is to not be affected by something that happens to you, even if it is quite embarrassing or bothersome.
Someone who is vociferous expresses their opinions loudly and strongly because they want their views to be heard.
A vortex is a force, such as a tornado or whirlpool, that draws things to its center and overwhelms anything caught within it.
Someone who is zealous spends a lot of time, energy, and effort to support something— notably that of a political or religious nature—because they believe in it very strongly.
Adj.
tumultuous
too-MUHL-choo-uhs
Context
When I attended the Rolling Stones concert, there was tumultuous applause even at the beginning of the show that drowned out the strains of the first song. The tumultuous music itself mirrored the wild and noisy rock and roll genre that drove fans crazy with excitement. Once the concert ended, the crowd broke into such a tumultuous and hugely happy uproar that Mick Jagger and company came back onstage for three encores.
Quiz:Try again!
How would you describe a tumultuous relationship?
A tumultuous event or period of time is filled with great excitement, confusion, or violence; a tumultuous reaction to something is likewise very loud and noisy because people are happy and excited.
Ultimate Tumble The buffalo, in the wild confusion of their tumultuous stampede, all rushed off the cliff, taking the ultimate tumble to their deaths.
Examples
Politics are tumultuous; street protests have toppled three elected presidents since 1997, most recently Lucio Gutiérrez, who was ousted in 2005.
—
The Economist
The singer won five Grammy Awards, including best record, best song and best new artist, in early February, but her musical success has been overshadowed by her tumultuous private life and public struggles with drugs and alcohol.
—
Newsvine
The tumultuous day left many traders and analysts bewildered, unable to point to any particular forces driving prices up or down except a general sense of anxious confusion.
—
The New York Times
Barry Werth is the author of ' 31 Days: The Crisis That Gave Us the Government We Have Today,' an account of the tumultuous days following President Nixon’s resignation and the swearing-in of America’s 'accidental president,' Gerald Ford.
—
Newsweek
A tumultuous crowd is “swelling” with noise, causing a great “disturbance,” including an “uproar” and perhaps even a “riot.”
Word Constellation
Click for an interactive map of this word
Related Words
anarchy ·
bedlam ·
boisterous ·
cacophony ·
cataclysm ·
chaotic+ ·
consternation ·
disarray+ ·
discomfit ·
disconcert ·
discordant ·
disquiet ·
ebullient ·
effervescent ·
foment ·
fracas ·
havoc+ ·
maelstrom+ ·
melee ·
obstreperous ·
pandemonium ·
raucous ·
tempestuous ·
turbulence+ ·
turmoil+ ·
vociferous ·
vortex ·
zealous ·
aplomb ·
demure ·
equanimity+ ·
euphony ·
halcyon+ ·
harmonious+ ·
imperturbable ·
mellifluous ·
nonchalant ·
placid+ ·
repose+ ·
reticent ·
serene+ ·
steadfast ·
stoic ·
taciturn ·
tranquil+ ·
unfazed ·
Similar sense
Opposite sense
Word Variants
tumult
n
→
noise and disturbance from a large, disorderly crowd
The section lists important variants and alternate definitions of the headword. Knowing variants will often help you both remember and understand the word. Not all variants are listed - only the ones we think that are important for you to know.
