as in waves
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
Relevance
as in protrudes
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 billows
Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
Video released by the prison shows large chunks of debris flying off the roof with what appears to be billows of black storm clouds above the penitentiary.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
Smoke billows from a wildfire in Oregon in August.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for billows
Noun
-
There are so many runners to filter through to the start line in their coloured waves that by the time the last pairs of feet have set off, the elite athletes have long finished.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Small pups get the first splash, followed by bigger dogs ready to make waves.—
Tiffani Jackson Skinner,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Kiritehere is a black sand beach, wild and prone to powerful swells that amateur surfers dare not attempt.—
Todd Symons,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
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Dangerous conditions from the building swells will be concentrated along the eastern shores of the islands, forecasters said.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The brand’s giant green owl mascot dances badly, makes obscure pop culture references and pokes fun at the company’s push notifications.—
Leeron Walter,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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Like his contemporaries, Meyers often pokes fun at the ongoing actions of the president and his administration on Late Night.—
Emlyn Travis Updated,
EW.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Billows.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/billows. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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