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Definition of turbulent adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

turbulent

adjective
 
/ˈtɜːbjələnt/
 
/ˈtɜːrbjələnt/
[usually before noun]
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  1. in which there is a lot of sudden change, trouble, argument and sometimes violence
    • a short and turbulent career in politics
    • a turbulent part of the world
    • turbulent emotions
    Topics Opinion and argumentc2
  2. (of air or water) changing direction suddenly and violently
    • The aircraft is designed to withstand turbulent conditions.
    • a turbulent sea/storm (= caused by turbulent water/air)
    • They jumped off the cliff into the turbulent waters below.
  3. (of people) noisy and/or difficult to control synonym unruly
    • a turbulent crowd
  4. Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin turbulentus ‘full of commotion’, from turba ‘crowd’.
See turbulent in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee turbulent in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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noun
 
 
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