as in cold
a weather condition marked by low temperatures
the unseasonable cold wave in the Northeast has already put a strain on oil supplies
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Recent Examples of cold wave
But before the precipitation begins, an extreme cold wave will bring temperatures into the single digits on Friday, Jan. 23 – dangerous wind chill values will drop as low as -9 degrees.
—
Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 21 Jan. 2026
Travelers and residents should stay informed about forecast changes, particularly as storm tracks and cold wave durations remain uncertain.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
A lot of existing NewSeed crops wilted in a heat wave or got frosted in a cold wave or got drowned in a wave wave.
—Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
These consisted of 17 severe storms (tornado outbreaks, high wind, hailstorms), 5 tropical cyclones, and 2 winter storm-cold waves, a wildfire and 1 drought/heatwave.
—Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cold wave
Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 21 Jan. 2026
Travelers and residents should stay informed about forecast changes, particularly as storm tracks and cold wave durations remain uncertain.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025
A lot of existing NewSeed crops wilted in a heat wave or got frosted in a cold wave or got drowned in a wave wave.
—Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
These consisted of 17 severe storms (tornado outbreaks, high wind, hailstorms), 5 tropical cyclones, and 2 winter storm-cold waves, a wildfire and 1 drought/heatwave.
—Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cold wave
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold wave
Noun
-
Aides blamed the poor performance on a cold.—
Darlene Superville,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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While the Northeast faced persistent blasts of bitter cold and snow, exceptional winter warmth in the West nearly pushed the nation to a new all-time high for the season.—
Dan Peck,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The weather is warm and the risk of a damaging freeze is minimal.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
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Scientists have long believed that the freeze intensified because of the ice-albedo feedback, a process in which expanding ice reflects more sunlight back into space.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cold wave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold%20wave. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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