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
Nbc News, NBC news, 18 June 2025
Smoke from the White Sage Fire billows near the Jacob Lake Inn in Fredonia, Ariz., on Saturday.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 15 July 2025
Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 15 July 2025
Footage of the incident showed large clouds of smoke and flames billowing from the airport after the plane hit the tarmac.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for billow
Noun
Smoke billows in the distance from an oil refinery following an Israeli strike on Tehran today.
—Nbc News, NBC news, 18 June 2025
Smoke from the White Sage Fire billows near the Jacob Lake Inn in Fredonia, Ariz., on Saturday.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 15 July 2025
Verb
Authorities clad in military-style helmets and uniforms faced off with the demonstrators, and people ultimately retreated amid acrid green-and-white billowing smoke.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 15 July 2025
Footage of the incident showed large clouds of smoke and flames billowing from the airport after the plane hit the tarmac.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for billow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for billow
Noun
-
Intense heat wave in the West has lifted The heat wave that gripped the Pacific Northwest has eased, and the National Weather Service said highs temperatures in Seattle might not reach 80 degrees.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
-
The kittens that are born in the first wave of the season are actually able to give birth by the third wave.—
Dina Kaur,
AZCentral.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Tung’s front layers were slicked across the right side of her forehead and brushed behind her ear; her short ends protruded out underneath.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
30 July 2025
-
In person the tremendous symmetry of her face was startling; her cheekbones protruded, and her eyes were far apart.—
Darcey Steinke,
Vogue,
27 July 2025
Noun
-
Despite warnings to stay out of the water, at Queens, New York's Rockaway Beach, surfer Scott Klossner was enjoying the monster swell.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
21 Aug. 2025
-
While the massive storm is forecast to remain hundreds of miles from shore, its outer bands will still likely be strong enough to stir up ferocious riptides, monster swells and intense winds of 100 mph along much of the East Coast.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Apart from at the very top of the tree, which presumably pokes through Florentino Perez’s office window at Real Madrid, there are no solutions, only trade-offs.—
Mark Critchley,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
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Gavin Newsom continues to mock Trump on 'Bela' The California governor's office has taken to mimicking Trump's social media style in posts trolling the president and generally poking fun at Republicans online.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The actress praises costume designer Trish Summerville, whose team then adorned her with all the brooches, bangles, and those bulging glasses.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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To prevent botulism, the CDC recommends refrigerating or freezing leftovers promptly after cooking, throwing away damaged or bulging cans, and following the USDA's guide to home-canning. 2.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Billow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/billow. Accessed 1 Sep. 2025.
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