1
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
the surprise verdict of the jury created a wild williwaw as reporters rushed to file their stories
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gust
a sudden brief rush of wind
a williwaw rose up seemingly out of nowhere and wreaked havoc with our campsite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of williwaw
The williwaw, a gale-force wind that came rolling down the mountain gathering speed, was depicted as a whorled cloud.
—
Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Sep. 2022
The dominant use of williwaw throughout the 19th century was in relation to storms around Cape Horn, including the Straits of Magellan.
—David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Sep. 2022
The williwaw gusts swirled thick fog among transport ships off Attu Island, and the waiting infantrymen nervously mulled the name of their landing site: Massacre Bay.
—Alex Horton, Washington Post, 24 May 2018
Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Sep. 2022
The dominant use of williwaw throughout the 19th century was in relation to storms around Cape Horn, including the Straits of Magellan.
—David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Sep. 2022
The williwaw gusts swirled thick fog among transport ships off Attu Island, and the waiting infantrymen nervously mulled the name of their landing site: Massacre Bay.
—Alex Horton, Washington Post, 24 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for williwaw
Noun
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Play was delayed for several minutes when a spectator needed medical attention after Alcaraz noticed the commotion in the stands.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
30 June 2025
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There followed a small commotion of friendliness—apologies, laughter—after which we were led to our seats and sent a free passion-fruit donut.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
29 June 2025
Noun
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Cottonwood was expected to see southwest winds around 8 mph, with gusts as high as 17 mph, through the afternoon, switching to a 6-mph north wind in the evening, expected to calm after midnight, the weather service said.—
Austin Corona,
AZCentral.com,
3 July 2025
-
West southwest wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
3 July 2025
Noun
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Officers responded to a report of a disturbance involving someone with a gun, according to the department’s initial news release.—
Laura Bauer
July 12,
Kansas City Star,
12 July 2025
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According to Bessette, a preliminary investigation found that a disturbance outside involving a group of individuals led to the shooting.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
11 July 2025
Noun
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Pang’s departure is a blow to Apple’s AI ambitions and comes amid internal scrutiny of its AI strategy, which has so far failed to match the capabilities fielded by rival tech companies, leaving Apple dependent on third-party AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
8 July 2025
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The news was not only a blow to Lilly but also a surprise to millions using Zepbound on Caremark plans, who are now questioning how to move forward.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
7 July 2025
Noun
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The crane tariffs aren’t the only punitive USTR measures on China causing a stir.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
9 July 2025
-
Late in the fourth quarter, Reese's actions caused a stir.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
Noun
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The thick glass holds up well against the elements and is a breeze to clean.—
Jamie Fischer,
Southern Living,
11 July 2025
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Vionic Kimmie Slip-on Shoe Slip-on sneakers make going through the airport a breeze.—
Rebecca Shinners,
Travel + Leisure,
11 July 2025
Noun
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All three sectors know that as the Trump administration considers further policy, and as the administration’s trade talks with China progress, things could change in a hurry.—
Ethan Karp,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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Being an important man Tommy was always in a hurry.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
Winners that scud through the court from all directions.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
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Their optimism regarding the possible Iranian retaliation would be based on the history of Israeli resilience in the face of Iraq's scud attacks in 1991, and Hamas' and Hezbollah's rocket strikes.—
Dmitry Adamsky,
Foreign Affairs,
20 Feb. 2011
Cite this Entry
“Williwaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/williwaw. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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