gale

noun \ ˈgāl \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

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

The other twisted and whined at the end of a leash that Contreras clutched as the gales threatened to suck the mutt away into the lightless night.

— martin kuz, San Antonio Express-News, "After the hurricane, the storm within," 9 Apr. 2018
As Gallus notes, researchers really need direct measurements of wind speed—not just pressure—inside the whirling gales.

— maya wei-haas, Smithsonian, "How a Legendary Storm Chaser Changed the Face of Tornado Science," 5 Apr. 2018
The nuke special effects are okay, but the blast is represented by a distant CGI mushroom cloud and some gale force winds.

— joe pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Hollywood Has No Idea How Nukes Work," 2 Apr. 2018
Because this is her standing in the hurricane that was my dad, protecting 11 little chicks from this gale-force wind and storm battering her.

— lorraine ali, latimes.com, "'Baskets' star Louie Anderson says ‘Hey Mom’ a lot. Now go call yours," 23 Mar. 2018
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a fog advisory that will last until 1 a.m. Tuesday, while a gale watch is in effect from Tuesday afternoon until that evening.

— christopher harress, AL.com, "Dense fog delays Carnival cruise as Alabama braces for severe weather," 19 Mar. 2018
Their fame was hard-won in regions that contained innumerable hazards: relentless blizzards, months-long spans of no sunlight, ferocious gales, shifting ice packs.

— howard schneider, WSJ, "‘To the Edges of the Earth’ Review: Going to Extremes," 15 Mar. 2018
The Outer Banks was experiencing gale force winds around the time.

— mark price, charlotteobserver, "Maritime mystery: Where are 70 cargo containers that fell overboard off NC coast? | Charlotte Observer," 14 Mar. 2018
By the final scenes, Goldsworthy is pushing himself against a gale-force wind on a rocky slope, waving his arms and trying to sculpt the air itself.

— ty burr, BostonGlobe.com, "‘Leaning Into the Wind’ shows that, more than ever, Andy Goldsworthy is one with nature," 14 Mar. 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.

Origin and Etymology of gale

of obscure origin

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1547

See Words from the same year

gale Synonyms

Synonyms

agony, blaze, burst, ebullition, eruption, explosion, fit, flare, flare-up, flash, flush, gush, gust, outburst, paroxysm, spasm, storm;

Related Words

blowup, grouch, rage, tantrum;

ecstasy, rapture, transport;

delirium, firestorm, frenzy, furor;

Other Climate/Meteorology Terms

monsoon, occlusion, ozone, rime, squall, zephyr

Gale

biographical name \ ˈgāl \

Definition of Gale

Zona 1874–1938 American novelist

GALE Defined for English Language Learners

gale

noun

Definition of gale for English Language Learners

: a very strong wind
: a sudden occurrence of laughter, tears, etc.

GALE Defined for Kids

gale

noun \ ˈgāl \

Definition of gale for Students

1 : a strong wind

2 : a wind of from about 32 to 63 miles per hour (about 51 to 101 kilometers per hour)

3 : an outburst of amusement

gales of laughter

Learn More about gale

See words that rhyme with gale Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for gale Spanish Central: Translation of gale Nglish: Translation of gale for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of gale for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gale

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gale

Definition of gale

Examples of gale in a Sentence

Recent Examples of gale from the Web

Origin and Etymology of gale

gale Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Climate/Meteorology Terms

Gale

Definition of Gale

GALE Defined for English Language Learners

gale

Definition of gale for English Language Learners

GALE Defined for Kids

gale

Definition of gale for Students

Learn More about gale

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