1
: wave
especially
: a great wave or surge of water
the rolling billows of the sea
2
: a rolling mass (as of flame or smoke) that resembles a high wave
Billows of smoke poured out of the building.
billows of fog
billowed; billowing; billows
1
: to rise or roll in waves or surges
the billowing sea
2
: to bulge or swell out (as through action of the wind)
billowing clouds
… the flags … billowed out in pride …—
G. B. Oxnam
G. B. Oxnam
: to cause to billow
a field of burning grass billowing thick black clouds of smoke into the sky—Donald Windham
Donald WindhamExamples of billow in a Sentence
Noun
Billows of smoke poured out of the burning building.
the rolling billows of the sea
Verb
the curtains in the open windows billowed in the summer wind
Recent Examples on the Web
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
The yellow school bus appears to be tipped to the side as fire engulfs almost the entire vehicle and billows of dark smoke pour from its shattered windows.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2025
Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Meanwhile, Kirke arrived in a fiery, bright red gown, with billowing sleeves and a skirt that draped over her baby bump.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for billow
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Noun
And these huge billows of wildfire smoke will remain huge problems for a while and could end up traveling huge distances from the flames.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
The yellow school bus appears to be tipped to the side as fire engulfs almost the entire vehicle and billows of dark smoke pour from its shattered windows.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
Social media videos after the explosion showed black billowing smoke.
—Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2025
Meanwhile, Kirke arrived in a fiery, bright red gown, with billowing sleeves and a skirt that draped over her baby bump.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for billow
Cite this Entry
“Billow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/billow. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
billow
1 of 2 noun
bil·low
ˈbil-ō 
1
: wave entry 2 sense 1
especially
: a large wave
2
: a rolling mass like a high wave
billows of smoke
billow
2 of 2 verb1
: to rise or roll in waves
the billowing ocean
2
: to bulge or swell out
sails billowing in the breeze
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