gale

noun

ˈgāl 

1

a

: a strong current of air:

(1)

: a wind from 32 to 63 miles per hour (about 51 to 102 kilometers per hour)

(2)

: fresh gale see Beaufort Scale Table

b

archaic : breeze

2

: an emotional outburst

gales of laughter

Synonyms

• explosion
• burst
• gust
• outburst
• eruption
• flash
• blaze
• storm

Examples of gale in a Sentence

The boat was damaged in a strong gale.

The winds approached gale force.

The audience erupted in gales of laughter.

Recent Examples on the Web

Other weather alerts in place include a gale warning, high surf advisory, and a flood advisory, among others. —Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025

When a ship rides out a gale, the cable is let out tojust the place that this column has reached — the bitter end. —Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Oct. 2025

The ship had a lucrative 19-year career until that September night when a gale-force wind caused its seams to break apart, according to the announcement. —Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025

Whoopi Goldberg learned that the hard way when the notorious blue Disney menace Stitch — of Lilo & Stitch fame — locked her into a column of gale-force air on Tuesday's episode of The View. —Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

of obscure origin

First Known Use

circa 1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing gale

• fresh gale
• moderate gale
• near gale
• strong gale
• whole gale

Rhymes for gale

• ail
• ale
• bail
• baile
• dail
• fail
• flail
• frail
• gael
• gail
• grail
• hail

Kids Definition

gale

noun

ˈgā(ə)l 

1

: a strong current of air

especially : a wind of from 32 to 63 miles (about 51 to 101 kilometers) per hour

2

: an emotional outburst

gales of laughter

Biographical Definition

Gale

biographical name

ˈgāl 

Zona 1874–1938 American novelist