magnetic storm

noun

: a marked temporary disturbance of the earth's magnetic field held to be related to sunspots

Examples of magnetic storm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Risks are higher during periods of greater solar activity, which follows an 11-year cycle that researchers track by tallying the dark sunspots that represent magnetic storms capable of producing outbursts. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 31 Mar. 2026 They are caused by magnetic storms that have been triggered by solar activity, such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections. Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Nov. 2025 For the rest of the nineteenth century and into the twentieth century, magnetic storms, triggered by colossal solar explosions, repeatedly disrupted those networks. Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025 Northern lights, or the aurora borealis, occur when solar activity — such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections — triggers magnetic storms. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025 The research, led by scientists at the German research laboratory Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), proposes that the sun's flares, magnetic storms and bursts of radiation are shaped not only by internal processes but also by the gravitational pull of Venus, Earth and Jupiter. Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2025 These flares are often associated with solar magnetic storms known as coronal mass ejections and can sometimes be as strong as a billion hydrogen bombs. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 19 June 2025 That was caused by two coronal mass ejections resulting in a magnetic storm. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 26 May 2025 These magnetic storms can occasionally be intense enough to interfere with the operation of high-voltage electricity lines. IEEE Spectrum, 24 Apr. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of magnetic storm was in 1836

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Cite this Entry

“Magnetic storm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnetic%20storm. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.

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