Synonyms for tumult
Most common
All synonyms
Noun
1. Commotion
commotion, uproar, clamor US, clamour UK, hullabaloo, noise, ruckus, fracas, tempest, turbulence, confusion, to-do, excitement, fuss, storm, rumpus, disturbance, bustle, convulsion, flurry, riot, brouhaha, agitation
Other
turmoil, insurrection, bluster, hub-bub, rout dated
Definitions
- n. 1
Confused, agitated noise as made by a crowd.
Related words
- Word family
- tumultuous
Forms
- Plural
- tumults → commotions, uproars, clamors, hullabaloos…
Choose the right word
Confusion, disorder, riot, and tumult are incidental and temporary outbreaks of lawlessness, but may not be anarchy.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- noise She carried on talking in spite of the loud noise.
- uproar This has caused a huge uproar in the city.
- commotion James heard the commotion and hurried to the room.
- hullabaloo Tom and Mary wanted to get married on the quiet to avoid all the hullabaloo.
- turmoil Algeria faced political turmoil in the 1990s.
- insurrection Tom was arrested for inciting an insurrection.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| tumult | rising | |
| noise | steady | |
| uproar | rising | |
| commotion | rising | |
| hullabaloo | steady | |
| turmoil | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- riot2, fuss1, rout1
- 5 letters
- storm1, noise1
- 6 letters
- uproar2, flurry2, bustle2, ruckus2, clamor2, fracas2, rumpus
- 7 letters
- turmoil2, tempest2, clamour2, bluster2
- 8 letters
- brouhaha3
- 9 letters
- confusion3, agitation4, commotion3
- 10 letters
- excitement3, turbulence3, hullabaloo4, convulsion3
- 11 letters
- disturbance3
- 12 letters
- insurrection4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (riot2 = 2 syllables).