hurricane

1 of 2

noun

hur·​ri·​cane ˈhər-ə-ˌkān How to pronounce hurricane (audio)
-i-kən,
ˈhə-rə-,
ˈhə-ri-
1
: a tropical cyclone with winds of 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour or greater that is usually accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning, and that sometimes moves into temperate latitudes

Note: Hurricane has traditionally been used especially when naming or referring to storms occurring in the western Atlantic; it is used for storms in the northeastern Pacific as well.

The people who bought homes there would never find out the truth, unless a hurricane came and blew off their roofs and knocked down their walls.Carl Hiassen
A few days after Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans, a small group of strangers on bicycles showed up in the Algiers neighborhood, knocking on doors and asking if anyone needed medical attention.Tim Shorrock
The most recent system was Hurricane Erick, which charged towards Hawaii with winds topping 130mph as a category four system.Katie Sewell
compare typhoon see Beaufort Scale Table
2
: something resembling a hurricane especially in its turmoil
a rushing hurricane of blows struck him as he stood upDonn Byrne

hurricane

2 of 2

adjective

: having or being a glass chimney (see chimney sense 4) providing protection from wind
a hurricane lamp

Examples of hurricane in a Sentence

Noun economic news that unleashed a hurricane on the trading floor
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
There’s no hurricane, there’s no cyclone, there’s no 100-year flood. Miriam Berger, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 Ocean heat sets the stage for more ferocious hurricanes. Laura Paddison, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 Michael, which made landfall in 2018 in the Panhandle, was the first category 5 hurricane to strike the continental United States since Andrew in 1992. Amy Green, WIRED, 16 Mar. 2024 In Louisiana, state officials have been trying to address an insurance crisis following a series of hurricanes in 2020 and 2021 that caused insurance companies to stop renewing policies or leave the state. Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024 However, the Tektite reef has recently seen destructive hurricanes, a significant bleaching event, and even an outbreak of coral disease. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024 Climate change is forecast to bring more bad weather, including hurricanes, to the Northeast as waters warm, some scientists say. Michael Casey, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2024 Thousands of buildings were raised after the devastating hurricane. Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2024 Suggesting using nuclear weapons to stop a hurricane. Reid J. Epstein, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Lee County health officials earlier this month warned people that the post-hurricane environment – including warm, standing water – could pose a danger from the potentially deadly bacteria. From Usa Today Network and Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2022 The rocket, known as the Space Launch System and standing 322 feet tall with its payload on top, appears to be pretty hurricane resistant. Kenneth Chang, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Nov. 2022 The disaster at the 12-story oceanfront condo building in Surfside drew the largest non-hurricane emergency response in Florida history, including rescue crews from across the U.S. and as far away as Israel to help local teams search for victims. CBS News, 28 Oct. 2022 DeSantis has been all over the state in the weeks since, announcing post-hurricane clean-up projects. David Jackson, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2022 In visiting Florida post-hurricane, President Joe Biden has found himself in the crosswinds of two potential 2024 re-election opponents, Former President Donald Trump and current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2022 The onslaught of mental anguish and post-hurricane dangers can seem overwhelming. Holly Yan, CNN, 29 Sep. 2022 Puerto Ricans await aid and fret about post-hurricane recovery. Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hurricane.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Spanish huracán, from Taino hurakán

First Known Use

Noun

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hurricane was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near hurricane

Cite this Entry

“Hurricane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hurricane. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hurricane

noun
hur·​ri·​cane
ˈhər-ə-ˌkān,
-i-kən,
ˈhə-rə-,
ˈhə-ri-
: a cyclone formed in the tropics with winds of 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour or greater that is usually accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning

More from Merriam-Webster on hurricane

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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