billow 1 of 2

noun

ˈbi-(ˌ)lō How to pronounce billow (audio)
Definition of billownext
as in wave
a moving ridge on the surface of water the great billows created by the ocean storm threatened to swamp the fishing boat

Synonyms & Similar Words

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billow

2 of 2

verb

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of billow
Noun
Smoke billows following an Israeli strike on the area of the Rawdat al-Salihin Mosque and the nearby cemetery in the southern city of Nabatieh, Lebanon, May 26, 2026. — CBS News, 27 May 2026 Try to score a private cabana and have servers dote on you while curtains billow in the sea breeze. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
Flags representing countries all over the world billowed over 22 tables at the free-to-attend market, plus a produce stand and bar, as customers made their way across the river. — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 7 Aug. 2026 Shortly afterwards, he was seen walking around church property just before surveillance footage showed smoke start to billow out of the building. — Ben Brachfeld, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for billow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for billow
  1. wave
  2. protrude
  3. swell
  4. poke
  5. bulge
Noun
  • More than 22,000 Long Beach residents were temporarily without power Sunday night due to a Southern California Edison outage, all in the midst of a sweltering wave of heat.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Her series kick-started a wave of creators on both TikTok and Instagram centering their content on living life alone.
    — Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of wave
Verb
  • Other animals on-site include a stable full of horses and Cowboy the tortoise, who is about the size of a lawnmower and whose head protrudes from what looks like a Venus flytrap made of bone.
    — Emma Madden, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Tropical Hibiscus Tropical hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), as the name suggests, is native to tropical climates in Asia and produces dramatic, vibrant flowers that can grow up to 6 inches in diameter with protruding stamens.
    — Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of protrude
Noun
  • Prosecutors said Hernandez piloted the boat into a swell and had accelerated the throttle to try to pass through it until the swell swamped the bow of the boat, capsizing it immediately, a complaint alleged.
    — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • About three hours and 20 minutes into the ride, Hernandez piloted the vessel in a U-turn, which investigators believed brought the boat into a swell caused by a larger passing boat.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of swell
Verb
  • Defender Kevin O'Toole poked the ball away, but Mboma Dem put away a sliding first-touch shot that opened the scoring in the 11th minute.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Somebody had taken a cosmic needle and poked holes in the dome so that the light could filter in.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of poke
Verb
  • Infants may act sluggish or not active, vomit, be unusually fussy, face poor feeding, show a bulging soft spot on the head, or show poor reflexes.
    — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Padmini came in about ten minutes later, carrying a net bag bulging with okra and shiny gourds.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of bulge

Browse Nearby Words

bill of fare
billow
billowed
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Cite this Entry

“Billow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/billow. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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