stormy

adjective

ˈstȯr-mē 

stormier; stormiest

1

: relating to, characterized by, or indicative of a storm

a stormy day

a stormy autumn

2

: marked by turmoil or fury

a stormy life

a stormy conference

stormily

ˈstȯr-mə-lē 

adverb

storminess

ˈstȯr-mē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• bang-bang
• blood-and-guts
• convulsive
• cyclonic
• explosive
• ferocious
• fierce
• furious
• hammer-and-tongs
• hot
• knock-down, drag-out
• knock-down-and-drag-out
• paroxysmal
• rabid
• rough
• tempestuous
• tumultuous
• turbulent
• violent
• volcanic

Examples of stormy in a Sentence

The weather was cold and stormy.

Their relationship was very stormy.

Recent Examples on the Web

The mandate: incorporate a young couple’s love of Ancient Rome, James Turrell skyspaces, and stormy beach days into a tip-to-tail renovation of an 1840s Greek Revival brownstone. —David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 21 Apr. 2025

There was no law enforcement involvement at the meeting, in contrast to the stormy town hall held Tuesday night by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) in which police used tasers to subdue and remove two hecklers. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2025

Zuckerberg and President Trump had a stormy relationship for years. —Bobby Allyn, NPR, 15 Apr. 2025

Still, there’s an offbeat energy to the affair, with Burton layering an ominously stormy sky over a world rich in color and grandeur. —Staff Author, EW.com, 22 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing stormy

• stormy petrel
• stormy weather

Kids Definition

stormy

adjective

ˈstȯr-mē 

stormier; stormiest

1

: relating to, marked by, or being a sign of a storm

a stormy day

stormy skies

2

: characterized by or subject to angry or intense disagreements or strong emotional outbursts

a stormy conference

stormily

-mə-lē 

adverb

storminess

-mē-nəs 

noun

Medical Definition

stormy

adjective

ˈstȯr-mē 

stormier; stormiest

: having alternating exacerbations and remissions of symptoms