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
Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
In southern Colorado's San Luis Valley, clouds billow above the towering mountains of the Sangre de Cristo range.
—John Daley, NPR, 22 June 2025
Angel Saunders, People.com, 4 July 2025
Flames and thick black smoke billowed from the big top.
—Jordan Friedman, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for billow
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Noun
Smoke billows following an Israeli strike in central Tehran on June 15, 2025.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
In southern Colorado's San Luis Valley, clouds billow above the towering mountains of the Sangre de Cristo range.
—John Daley, NPR, 22 June 2025
Verb
Fire alarms were blaring and sirens could be heard in the distance as smoke billowed out of the property.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 4 July 2025
Flames and thick black smoke billowed from the big top.
—Jordan Friedman, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 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 20 Jul. 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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