weather

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noun weath·er \ ˈwe-t͟hər \

Definition of weather

1 :the state of the atmosphere with respect to heat or cold, wetness or dryness, calm or storm, clearness or cloudiness

2 :state or vicissitude of life or fortune

3 :disagreeable atmospheric conditions: such as

a :rain, storm

b :cold air with dampness

4 :weathering

— to weather

:in the direction from which the wind is blowing

— under the weather

1 :ill

2 :drunk 1a

See weather defined for English-language learners

See weather defined for kids

Examples of weather in a Sentence

The weather today will be hot and dry.
The hikers sought protection from the weather under an overhang.
It looks like we're in for some weather tomorrow.
We'll take a look at the weather right after this commercial break.
Check the weather before you make plans.

Recent Examples of weather from the Web

But fire weather advisories are not expected because the region won’t experience a combination of high heat, high winds and low humidity.

— gary robbins, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Major heat wave will hit San Diego County on Monday," 27 Aug. 2017
Airlines routinely cancel flights when bad weather is expected, although only a few have been scrapped so far, according to tracking service FlightAware.com.

— Bloomberg.com, "The Latest: Contraflow An Option as Hurricane Nears in Texas," 24 Aug. 2017
What to complain about: the weather, gentrification, and traffic.

— esquire editors, Esquire, "How to B.S. Your Way to a Seven-Figure Book Deal," 23 Aug. 2017
The weather service’s station in Paducah, Ky., closest to Makanda, Ill., where the eclipse has its longest duration, at 2 minutes and 41 seconds, anticipated mostly sunny skies on Monday.

— henry fountain, New York Times, "Before a Solar Eclipse Crosses 14 States, a Great American Road Trip," 20 Aug. 2017
Within two weeks — weather permitting — the ongoing construction at the intersection of Route 22 and Beards Hill Road that has infuriated business owners and motorists alike should be finished, State Highway Administration representatives say.

— erika butler, The Aegis, "Beards Hill Road work at Route 22 in Aberdeen could be done within two weeks," 16 Aug. 2017
Mornings may be slightly cloudy most of the week, but slightly warmer weather is forecast in the afternoons at the end of the week.

— christine clarridge, The Seattle Times, "A cool breather: So this is what a typical Seattle summer feels like," 14 Aug. 2017
In most places, the eclipse's peak time will be less than 2-and-a-half minutes and viewing will depend greatly on the weather.

— leada gore, AL.com, "How to photograph the solar eclipse: NASA tips for taking pictures of Aug. 21 event," 12 Aug. 2017
For the same reason, the green chair in the family room is upholstered in an all-weather fabric from Perennials.

— amy preiser, House Beautiful, "The Tiger Stripes and Flea-Market Finds in This Home Redefine Chic," 9 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'weather.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of weather

Middle English weder, from Old English; akin to Old High German wetar weather, Old Church Slavonic vetrŭ wind

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

Other Climate/Meteorology Terms

monsoon, occlusion, ozone, rime, squall, zephyr

weather

verb

Definition of weather

weathered; weathering play \ˈwet͟h-riŋ, ˈwe-t͟hə-\

transitive verb

1 :to expose to the open air :subject to the action of the elements

2 :to bear up against and come safely through

weather a storm

weather a crisis

intransitive verb

:to undergo or endure the action of the elements

See weather defined for English-language learners

Examples of weather in a Sentence

The wood on the porch has weathered over the years.
They weathered a terrible storm while at sea.
He has weathered the criticism well.

Recent Examples of weather from the Web

Loyola (13-1): Ramblers must weather injuries, tough early schedule (Phillips, Bishop Amat, Mount Carmel) 7.

— pat disabato, Daily Southtown, "Countdown to football: Delonte Harrell, Marist No. 1 in preseason," 24 Aug. 2017
Loyola (13-1): Ramblers must weather injuries, tough early schedule (Phillips, Bishop Amat, Mount Carmel) 7.

— blake baumgartner, Naperville Sun, "Penn State recruit Effner a building block for Metea Valley's offense," 24 Aug. 2017
This year, the co-op is projecting $28 million in profits, after weathering a string of losses.

— Washington Post, "Montana’s Health Co-op remains standing as others falter," 12 Aug. 2017
This year, the co-op is projecting $28 million in profits, after weathering a string of losses.

— bobby caina calvan, The Seattle Times, "Montana’s Health Co-op remains standing as others falter," 12 Aug. 2017
The digital currency reached another record high Friday after weathering a split last week that threatened to jeopardize its growing acceptance as an alternative means of exchange and legitimacy as an asset.

— lily katz, Bloomberg.com, "Avocados and Game of Thrones Are All Part of Bitcoin's Record Rally," 11 Aug. 2017
The fandom could not have weathered the controversy of two more gay women on TV dying immediately after a kiss.

— vanityfair.com, "Was the Game of Thrones Sand Snake Solution Elegant or Unnecessarily Brutal?," 23 July 2017
Hanging love seats in shades of marigold and blue enliven outdoor nooks, geometric planters offer a pop of greenery, and weathered steel or concrete fire pits keep you toasty long after the sun goes down.

— marielle wakim, Los Angeles Magazine, "Best of LA: 92 of Our Favorite Things to Eat, Do, and Buy Right Now," 14 July 2017
Inside, the home is covered in untreated wood and other materials that are intended to weather over time and create a rustic look.

— lauren smith, House Beautiful, "This Treehouse in Cape Town, South Africa Is a Sight to Behold," 16 June 2017

First Known Use of weather

15th century

weather Synonyms

Synonyms

ride (out), survive

Related Words

outlast, outlive, wear out; pull through; abide, continue, endure, hang on, hold on, hold out, hold up, last, lead, persist, stand, stick out, withstand; be, breathe, exist, live, subsist; flourish, prosper, thrive

Near Antonyms

croak [slang], decease, depart, die, expire, pass (on), pass away, perish, succumb; disappear, evaporate, fade, vanish; cease, end, stop

weather

adjective

Definition of weather

:of or relating to the side facing the wind — compare lee

First Known Use of weather

1582

WEATHER Defined for English Language Learners

weather

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noun

Definition of weather for English Language Learners

: the state of the air and atmosphere at a particular time and place : the temperature and other outside conditions (such as rain, cloudiness, etc.) at a particular time and place
: bad or stormy weather
the weather : a report or forecast about the weather

weather

verb

Definition of weather for English Language Learners

: to change in color, condition, etc., because of the effects of the sun, wind, rain, etc., over a long period of time
: to deal with or experience (something dangerous or unpleasant) without being harmed or damaged too much

WEATHER Defined for Kids

weather

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noun weath·er \ ˈwe-t͟hər \

Definition of weather for Students

:the state of the air and atmosphere in regard to how warm or cold, wet or dry, or clear or stormy it is

weather

verb

Definition of weather for Students

weathered; weathering

1 :to change (as in color or structure) by the action of the weather

2 :to be able to last or come safely through

They weathered a storm.

Learn More about weather

See words that rhyme with weather Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for weather Spanish Central: Translation of weather Nglish: Translation of weather for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of weather for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about weather

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Origin and Etymology of weather

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weather

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weather

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WEATHER Defined for English Language Learners

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weather

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