heat wave

noun

: a period of unusually hot weather

Examples of heat wave in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
During the final week, the crew worked nonstop for sixty hours in a heat wave that parched energy and drained our bodies. Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025 London has experienced heat waves in the summer, and air-conditioning isn’t universal. Susanne Fowler, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025 As parts of Southern California are bracing themselves for a heat wave, specific parts of Washington have been warned by the National Weather Service (NWS) to expect up to 8 inches of snow to fall in areas above 4,000 feet through to Wednesday morning. Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025 Those heat waves pushed the race-day temperatures well above the window for peak performance. Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for heat wave

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heat wave was in 1893

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Cite this Entry

“Heat wave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heat%20wave. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

heat wave

noun
: a period of unusually hot weather

More from Merriam-Webster on heat wave

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