gale

noun \ ˈgāl \

|Updated on: 22 Jul 2018

Examples: gale in a Sentence

Definition of gale

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

See gale defined for English-language learners

See gale defined for kids

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 of gale from the Web

In April, 1931, a stout ship that had endured howling gales, towering waves and the press of polar ice tied up at a Potomac River dock alongside the boats that took sightseers to Mount Vernon and the Marshall Hall amusement park.

— john kelly, Washington Post, "In 1931, Washington tourists could visit Admiral Byrd’s Antarctic flagship," 12 May 2018
The Coast Guard issued these tips to keep boaters safe: Those needing passage through drawbridges should seek access well in advance of the arrival of gale force winds.

— maria clark, NOLA.com, "Coast Guard rescues person on inflatable raft near Dauphin Island, Alabama," 28 May 2018
Federal officials said violent gales higher than 62 mph hit areas in the north, south and east of the country, wrecking homes and uprooting trees, Agence France-Presse reports.

— casey quackenbush, Time, "Sand and Thunderstorms Sweep Across India, Leaving More Than 86 Dead," 15 May 2018
Amazingly, no one quits, despite New England weather that ranges from cold gale winds to temperatures in the mid 80s.

— stan grossfeld, BostonGlobe.com, "In a grueling relay, runners carry the burden on behalf of veterans," 10 May 2018
Driven by those ferocious gales from the north, snow became snow super-glued onto the north sides of tree trunks and their branches.

— anthony r. wood, Philly.com, "Storm aftermath: Why so many trees came down," 5 Mar. 2018
However, on the third leg of the trip — from South Africa to Australia — a 60-year-old man from England on the Great Britain yacht was washed overboard in gale-force winds while helping change sails on Nov. 18.

— christine willmsen, The Seattle Times, "‘It’s not a luxury cruise’: Crews, yachts in around-the-world race settle into Seattle until next leg," 26 Apr. 2018
Indeed, the only thing these men have in common apart from their rapaciousness is a strange lust for paralyzed hairstyles designed to resist gale-force winds.

— drew magary, GQ, "A Field Guide to Bad Conservative Hair," 21 Apr. 2018
Fifty miles to the north, Palm Beach County would be hit a few hours later by a 90-mph tornado; to the east, gale-force winds would end up pounding the coast, ripping up whole sections of shoreline.

— janice gary, Longreads, "Bang and Vanish," 18 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gale.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.