whiteout

noun

white·​out ˈ(h)wīt-ˌau̇t How to pronounce whiteout (audio)
: a surface weather condition in a snow-covered area (such as a polar region) in which no object casts a shadow, the horizon cannot be seen, and only dark objects are discernible
also : a blizzard that severely reduces visibility

Examples of whiteout in a Sentence

We got caught in a whiteout.
Recent Examples on the Web The massive storm shuttered Highway 395 from Southern California to Mammoth Mountain and Interstate 80 to the northern Lake Tahoe area for much of the weekend because of whiteout conditions. Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024 Related article Rare blizzard conditions batter California mountains with heavy snow and powerful winds, making travel dangerous The most extreme conditions are unfolding at the highest elevations, with whiteout conditions and hurricane-force winds in the Sierra Nevada. Susannah Cullinane, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024 Crews worked through the day to try and clear the massive amounts of snow along I-80, where authorities had abandoned hope Friday night amid howling winds and whiteout conditions. Sacramento Bee, 3 Mar. 2024 Near whiteout conditions right now on Donner Pass Road up along the shores of Donner Lake. Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 Snowfall rates will approach 2-4 inches per hour with whiteout conditions and near-zero visibility at times. Nicholas Merianos, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2024 The snow is expected to produce whiteout conditions, making travel dangerous, according to the National Weather Service. Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 5 Feb. 2024 Heavy snow, powerful winds could lead to whiteout conditions Heavy, wet snow was expected to spread across the Sierra Nevada on Sunday through Tuesday morning, with snowfall of 2-3 inches per hour, the prediction center said. Susan Miller, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2024 The whiteout swept through most of the eastern and southern states as well, causing havoc from here to the coasts. The Enquirer, 19 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whiteout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

white entry 1 + -out (in blackout)

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of whiteout was in 1946

Dictionary Entries Near whiteout

Cite this Entry

“Whiteout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whiteout. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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