billowing 1 of 2

adjective

as in rolling

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billowing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of billow
as in protruding
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 billowing
Adjective
The reality star wore a billowing tie-dye gown complete with three-dimensional ruffles. — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Verb
Sparkling metallic accents and starry motifs light up a halter dress, a sophisticated pajama pantsuit or a sheer chiffon gown with billowing sleeves, and sequins shine on a short sleeveless dress through a festive lens. — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026 Video showed a plume billowing from the tank Wednesday morning, hours after the leak first erupted Tuesday night. — John Seewer, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 Last fall, when Florida welcomed Mississippi State for its mid-October homecoming game, smoke was already billowing. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 Flames were raging on the undercarriage of the car and smoke was billowing into the air. — Kris Habermehl, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 And then there’s this suit—the billowing pants, the jacket closed just so, worn with socks and sandals. — Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026 Scio, looking like a bridal Joan of Arc, wore a Valentino look also by Michele with a billowing navy blue top and silver metal detailing. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 7 Oct. 2026 The dramatic daytime strike on the national landmark saw people clinging to windows to escape flames and thick smoke billowing out of the structure. — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026 While Moore’s set was loose and billowing, this set will give your outfit more definition. — Brooke Knappenberger, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for billowing
  1. rolling
  2. protruding
  3. surging
  4. poking
  5. swelling
  6. bulging
  7. wavy
Adjective
  • Volkswagen hasn't attempted to turn its three-row family hauler into a rolling origami experiment or a study in aerodynamic sculpture.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The smoothness of Knock Knock echoes through the rolling mid-tempo grooves of Stiltz’s unshowy arrangements, featuring drifting pedal steel from Theo Stocks and tasteful embellishments from Ana Roxanne on piano and vocals.
    — Harry Thorfinn-George, Pitchfork, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of rolling
Verb
  • Once fished to the brink of extinction globally, sand tiger sharks, that iconic aquarium shark with a jaw of protruding, jagged teeth that only a mother could love, have been increasing in the Boston Harbor over the last decade.
    — Asia London Palomba, Christian Science Monitor, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The face is a glossy black plastic with the exterior lenses slightly protruding, keeping the front from looking like a single flat surface.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of protruding
Adjective
  • The move highlights how surging demand for AI computing capacity is drawing institutional investors, as governments, companies and startups race to build out data centers to support AI workloads.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of surging
Verb
  • My physical study, on the floor, poking at what was there in the open field of the air, led to newfound levels of learning to process, in poems on the page, where my initial feelings of hunger came from.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In a recent interview with OutKick Dropkick, Hefner was already poking the bear in hopes of getting eyes on his event.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of poking
Adjective
  • The hope was this would mean less swelling, less pain and, potentially, a significantly faster recovery.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 13 May 2026
  • Another effective anti-swelling remedy is a delicious snack that may be hiding in the fridge.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 27 Oct. 2025
Definition of swelling
Verb
  • Earlier in the week, the team said the 23-year-old NFL player had been dealing with a bulging disc in his back.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The fear of effeminization has never felt so acute, which presumably is why Matt Damon’s Odysseus needed bulging muscles, to ensure his sensitivity was mitigated by pecs of steel.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of bulging
Adjective
  • If your hair isn’t naturally wavy, use a curling iron to add waves, wrapping sections around the iron in opposite directions for a less polished look.
    — Lindy Segal, Glamour, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The person buried there is believed to have belonged to the Linear Pottery culture — named for the distinctive spiral and wavy patterns decorating its pottery.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of wavy

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Cite this Entry

“Billowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/billowing. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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