as in to protrude
to extend outward beyond a usual point
the curtains in the open windows billowed in the summer wind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of billow
Wendy O'Dea, Robb Report, 28 Dec. 2025
Prayer mats lie next to heavy artillery; smoke billows from parked whips; backstabbers get cut first.
—Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2025
Emily Lorsch, NBC news, 2 Mar. 2026
Three thick plumes of smoke billowed two blocks away.
—Philip Wang, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for billow
Noun
By night, fires dot the serene landscape and smoke billows from chimneys as guests sip cocktails and cocoa or take a sleigh ride over powdery, sparkling snow.
—Wendy O'Dea, Robb Report, 28 Dec. 2025
Prayer mats lie next to heavy artillery; smoke billows from parked whips; backstabbers get cut first.
—Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2025
Verb
Smoke billows Monday after an explosion from the port of Bandar Abbas in Iran, along the strait of Hormuz.
—Emily Lorsch, NBC news, 2 Mar. 2026
Three thick plumes of smoke billowed two blocks away.
—Philip Wang, Time, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for billow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for billow
Noun
-
Yamaha joins a wave of major corporations fleeing California, including Tesla, In-N-Out and Chevron, citing costly regulations and unfavorable business conditions.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Most intense day of strikes so far US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday marked the most aggressive wave of attacks inside Iran since the start of Operation Epic Fury on February 28.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The jaguar growled, whirled and bit off the protruding head of the arrow.—
Delbert L. Chears,
Outdoor Life,
5 Mar. 2026
-
And yes, the non-recessed device does indeed protrude out from the bottom of the shoe, so it's intended for use with road bike shoes and pedals only.—
Ben Coxworth
March 03,
New Atlas,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
To accommodate this swell of invitees, sponsors, and staff (as well as the parade of black cars from a start-up called Uber), the Vanity Fair Oscar Party needed a larger home.—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Outside those emotional swells, the family was relieved to be together, and free of the dread that had hung over them in New York.—
Caitlin Dickerson,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But researchers who studied crocodiles at an outdoor recreation center near Cape Town appear to have poked a hole in that approach.—
Regina G. Barber,
NPR,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Featured in this article What’s more, hotel pillows often have other special features, including down-proof encasements (meaning feathers won’t poke through the cover over time).—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
To stabilize bulging sides, drive rebar rods into the soil along the exterior of the beds.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Fibroids that bulge into the uterine cavity—called submucosal fibroids—are often associated with the most significant bleeding changes, regardless of size.—
Beth Krietsch,
SELF,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Billow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/billow. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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