monsoon

noun

mon·​soon män-ˈsün How to pronounce monsoon (audio)
ˈmän-ˌsün
Synonyms of monsoonnext
1
: a periodic wind especially in the Indian Ocean and southern Asia
2
: the season of the southwest monsoon in India and adjacent areas that is characterized by very heavy rainfall
3
: rainfall that is associated with the monsoon
monsoonal
män-ˈsü-nᵊl How to pronounce monsoon (audio)
ˈmän-ˌsü-
adjective

Examples of monsoon in a Sentence

floods caused by summer monsoons
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.
At the same time, a cooler North Atlantic (negative AMO phase) suppresses moisture transport into the monsoon system. Jay Kakade december 15, New Atlas, 15 Dec. 2025 As with so many things in the desert, prickly pear season is a marker of time, arriving near the end of monsoon season (about late June to mid-September) when the area receives most of its annual rainfall. Von Diaz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Dec. 2025 The region is used to monsoon rains and frequent flooding, but the enormity of the human toll and level of destruction have shocked many, with scientists warning that, as the climate crisis intensifies, more intense extreme weather events will become the new normal. Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025 Thousands have died across southeastern Asia in wake of the floods, which follow multiple cyclones and amid an unusually intense monsoon season. Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for monsoon

Word History

Etymology

obsolete Dutch monssoen, from Portuguese monção, from Arabic mawsim time, season

First Known Use

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of monsoon was in 1584

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Monsoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monsoon. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

monsoon

noun
mon·​soon män-ˈsün How to pronounce monsoon (audio)
1
: a periodic wind in the Indian Ocean and southern Asia
2
: the rainy season that accompanies the southwest monsoon
3
: rainfall that is associated with the monsoon season

More from Merriam-Webster on monsoon

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