tropical storm

noun

: a tropical cyclone with strong winds of over 39 miles (63 kilometers) per hour but less than hurricane intensity

Examples of tropical storm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Over the weekend, a combination of high swells, higher-than-high tides and tropical storm charged walloped the Long Beach Peninsula. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

The National Hurricane Center also issued a tropical storm warning for the island of Oahu as Lowell approached close to land. — Brian Dakss, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2026

Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 50 miles (85 kilometers) from the center, and tropical storm-force winds extended outward up to 175 miles (280 kilometers), the center said. — ABC News, 6 Sep. 2026

Lowell's hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center, and tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 160 miles. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1809, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tropical storm

• cuneiform
• iodoform
• nonuniform
• brainstorm
• conform
• deform
• firestorm
• hailstorm
• inform
• landform
• lukewarm
• perform

Kids Definition

tropical storm

noun

: a cyclone in or originating in the tropics that has very strong winds of less than hurricane strength