tur·bu·lence

(tûr′byə-ləns)

1. The state or quality of being turbulent: times of turbulence and confusion.

2. Turbulent flow.

3. An eddying motion of the atmosphere that interrupts the flow of wind.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

turbulence

(ˈtɜːbjʊləns) or rarely

turbulency

1. a state or condition of confusion, movement, or agitation; disorder

2. (Physical Geography) meteorol local instability in the atmosphere, oceans, or rivers

3. (General Physics) turbulent flow in a liquid or gas

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

tur•bu•lence

(ˈtɜr byə ləns)

also tur′bu•len•cy,

1. the quality or state of being turbulent.

2. the haphazard secondary motion caused by eddies within a moving fluid.

3. irregular motion of the atmosphere, as that indicated by gusts and lulls in the wind.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	turbulence - unstable flow of a liquid or gas turbulency countercurrent, crosscurrent, riptide, tide rip, rip - a stretch of turbulent water in a river or the sea caused by one current flowing into or across another current physical phenomenon - a natural phenomenon involving the physical properties of matter and energy
	2.	turbulence - instability in the atmosphere bad weather, inclemency, inclementness - weather unsuitable for outdoor activities clear-air turbulence - strong turbulence in an otherwise cloudless region that subjects aircraft to violent updrafts or downdrafts
	3.	turbulence - a state of violent disturbance and disorder (as in politics or social conditions generally); "the industrial revolution was a period of great turbulence" Sturm und Drang, upheaval political science, politics, government - the study of government of states and other political units disorder - a disturbance of the peace or of public order ferment, fermentation, unrest, agitation, tempestuousness - a state of agitation or turbulent change or development; "the political ferment produced new leadership"; "social unrest" roller coaster - anything characterized by abrupt and extreme changes (especially up and down); "the economy has been on a roller coaster all year" violence - a turbulent state resulting in injuries and destruction etc.

turbulence

noun confusion, turmoil, unrest, instability, storm, boiling, disorder, upheaval, agitation, commotion, pandemonium, tumult, roughness a region often beset by religious turbulence
rest, peace, quiet, calm, stillness, repose

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

turbulence

noun

1. The condition of being physically agitated:

agitation, commotion, convulsion.

2. An interruption of regular procedure or of public peace:

agitation, commotion, disorder, disturbance, helter-skelter, stir, tumult, turmoil, uproar.

Informal: flap, to-do.

Translations

اِضْطِرابشَغَب، إضْطِراب

nepokojevířivostvzrušení

turbulensstormfuldhed

Aufruhr Sturm Turbulenz Wirbel

αναταραχή

turbulencia

levottomuus

turbulence

turbulencija

légörvényturbulencia

ólga, uppnám

turbolenza

激動

난기류

turbulens

ความปั่นป่วน

çalkantı girdap

sự hỗn loạn

动乱骚乱

turbulence

[ˈtɜːbjʊləns] N

1. [of air, water] → turbulencia f
the plane ran into some turbulence → el avión entró en un área de turbulencias

2. (= unrest) (social, political) → turbulencia f, agitación f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

turbulence

[ˈtɜː^rbjʊləns] n

(AVIATION) → turbulence f

(= upheaval) → agitation f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

turbulence

n (of person, crowd) → Ungestüm nt, → Wildheit f; (of emotions) → Aufgewühltheit f; (of career, period) → Turbulenz f; air turbulence → Turbulenzen pl; the turbulence of the water → das stürmische Wasser

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

turbulence

[ˈtɜːbjʊləns] n → turbolenza

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

turbulent

(ˈtəːbjulənt) adjective

violently disturbed or confused. The seas are turbulent; the turbulent years of war.

ˈturbulently adverb

ˈturbulence noun

turbulence

→ اِضْطِراب nepokoje turbulens Aufruhr αναταραχή turbulencia levottomuus turbulence turbulencija turbolenza 激動 난기류 turbulentie turbulens turbulencja turbulência турбулентность turbulens ความปั่นป่วน çalkantı sự hỗn loạn 骚乱

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

They soon relinquish this turbulence though, and when about three fourths grown, break up, and separately go about in quest of settlements, that is, harems.

View in context

Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.

View in context

She busied herself with following the aerial creations of the poets; and in the majestic and wondrous scenes which surrounded our Swiss home --the sublime shapes of the mountains, the changes of the seasons, tempest and calm, the silence of winter, and the life and turbulence of our Alpine summers--she found ample scope for admiration and delight.

View in context

France enfeebled, the authority of her sovereign contemned, her nobles returning to their former turbulence and insolence, her enemies within her frontiers -- all proved the great Richelieu no longer in existence.

View in context

The turbulence and rapidity of the current continually augmenting as they advanced, gave the voyagers intimation that they were approaching the great obstructions of the river, and at length they arrived at Strawberry Island, so called by Lewis and Clarke, which lies at the foot of the first rapid.

View in context

Mongondro was a sweet-tempered, mild-mannered little old chief, short-sighted and afflicted with elephantiasis, and no longer inclined toward the turbulence of war.

View in context

But the children had abandoned their sports for their beds of skins, and the quiet of night was already beginning to prevail over the turbulence and excitement of so busy and important an evening.

View in context

Her soliloquy crystallized itself into little fragmentary phrases emerging suddenly from the turbulence of her thought, particularly when she had to exert herself in any way, either to move, to count money, or to choose a turning.

View in context

In the violence and turbulence of such disagreements much property was destroyed and many lives lost.

View in context

At first, I was delighted with the novelty and excitement of our London life; but soon I began to weary of its mingled turbulence and constraint, and sigh for the freshness and freedom of home.

View in context

There was a tranquil air in the town after the turbulence of the Channel and the beach, and its dulness in that comparison was agreeable.

View in context

Everything was so quiet, and neat, and orderly; everybody so kind and gentle; that after the noise and turbulence in the midst of which he had always lived, it seemed like Heaven itself.

View in context