whiteout
noun
white·out
ˈ(h)wīt-ˌau̇t 
: a surface weather condition in a snow-covered area (such as a polar region) in which no object casts a shadow, the horizon cannot be seen, and only dark objects are discernible
also
: a blizzard that severely reduces visibility
Examples of whiteout in a Sentence
We got caught in a whiteout.
Recent Examples on the Web
The roadway remained closed Monday morning after the icy mix turned to blowing snow and created whiteout conditions.
—
Robert Shackelford, CNN, 25 Mar. 2024
Social media imagery from Waterloo, Iowa, verified by NBC News showed near whiteout conditions before sunset.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 25 Mar. 2024
Parts of the region under blizzard warnings could see whiteout conditions and wind gusts in excess of 50 mph.
—USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
The massive storm shuttered Highway 395 from Southern California to Mammoth Mountain and Interstate 80 to the northern Lake Tahoe area for much of the weekend because of whiteout conditions.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024
Related article Rare blizzard conditions batter California mountains with heavy snow and powerful winds, making travel dangerous
The most extreme conditions are unfolding at the highest elevations, with whiteout conditions and hurricane-force winds in the Sierra Nevada.
—Susannah Cullinane, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024
Crews worked through the day to try and clear the massive amounts of snow along I-80, where authorities had abandoned hope Friday night amid howling winds and whiteout conditions.
—Sacramento Bee, 3 Mar. 2024
Near whiteout conditions right now on Donner Pass Road up along the shores of Donner Lake.
—Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024
Snowfall rates will approach 2-4 inches per hour with whiteout conditions and near-zero visibility at times.
—Nicholas Merianos, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2024
Robert Shackelford, CNN, 25 Mar. 2024
Social media imagery from Waterloo, Iowa, verified by NBC News showed near whiteout conditions before sunset.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 25 Mar. 2024
Parts of the region under blizzard warnings could see whiteout conditions and wind gusts in excess of 50 mph.
—USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
The massive storm shuttered Highway 395 from Southern California to Mammoth Mountain and Interstate 80 to the northern Lake Tahoe area for much of the weekend because of whiteout conditions.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2024
Related article Rare blizzard conditions batter California mountains with heavy snow and powerful winds, making travel dangerous
The most extreme conditions are unfolding at the highest elevations, with whiteout conditions and hurricane-force winds in the Sierra Nevada.
—Susannah Cullinane, CNN, 3 Mar. 2024
Crews worked through the day to try and clear the massive amounts of snow along I-80, where authorities had abandoned hope Friday night amid howling winds and whiteout conditions.
—Sacramento Bee, 3 Mar. 2024
Near whiteout conditions right now on Donner Pass Road up along the shores of Donner Lake.
—Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024
Snowfall rates will approach 2-4 inches per hour with whiteout conditions and near-zero visibility at times.
—Nicholas Merianos, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whiteout.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near whiteout
Cite this Entry
“Whiteout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whiteout. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share