Tempestuous is Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for August 16, 2025. The word tempestuous describes things related to or resembling a violent storm. Literally, it is synonymous with turbulent and stormy. Figuratively, tempestuous characterizes someone or something as full of strong emotions like anger or excitement. An example of its literal use is encountering tempestuous weather. A figurative example is describing a tempestuous relationship. Many English words describe both weather and human experiences. Tempestuous entered English in the 15th century. It can refer to literal storms or figuratively to stormy personalities and arguments. The word originates from the Latin tempestās, meaning storm or season.