1
as in blows
a sudden brief rush of wind
a gust tore her umbrella from her grip and blew it down the street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in explosions
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
the stressed-out coworker cried out with a gust of emotion that we had never witnessed before
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gusts
Winds are blowing west at 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
—
Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Residents may experience wind gusts of up to 40 mph.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
Strong gusts of wind disperse the pollen and mold, irritating lungs.
—Devika Rao, TheWeek, 30 Apr. 2026
Wind speeds pick up overnight, with gusts of up to 25 mph expected.
—Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 30 Apr. 2026
Wind gusts of the rapidly advancing storm that had capsized our canoe on Friday had been clocked at about 35 to 40 knots by the Chapleau air base.
—Jim Hoagland, Outdoor Life, 30 Apr. 2026
Saturday storms generated more than 100 reports, ranging from baseball‑size hail to 90‑plus‑mph wind gusts and multiple high‑water rescues across the metroplex.
—S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Sustained, strong winds with even stronger gusts are happening.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Conditions were warm and dry, with wind gusts exceeding 100 miles per hour.
—Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Residents may experience wind gusts of up to 40 mph.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 30 Apr. 2026
Strong gusts of wind disperse the pollen and mold, irritating lungs.
—Devika Rao, TheWeek, 30 Apr. 2026
Wind speeds pick up overnight, with gusts of up to 25 mph expected.
—Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 30 Apr. 2026
Wind gusts of the rapidly advancing storm that had capsized our canoe on Friday had been clocked at about 35 to 40 knots by the Chapleau air base.
—Jim Hoagland, Outdoor Life, 30 Apr. 2026
Saturday storms generated more than 100 reports, ranging from baseball‑size hail to 90‑plus‑mph wind gusts and multiple high‑water rescues across the metroplex.
—S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Sustained, strong winds with even stronger gusts are happening.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Conditions were warm and dry, with wind gusts exceeding 100 miles per hour.
—Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gusts
Noun
-
The Russian military appears to be losing some ground in Ukraine, contrary to claims by Moscow’s top brass; Ukrainian strikes are delivering damaging blows to vital Russian oil and gas infrastructure; and drone strikes by Kyiv have disrupted life in the Russian capital before.—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
-
And Minnesota didn’t absorb or respond to the blows.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Every once in a while, the TV would display the now ubiquitous images of Suspect One and Suspect Two, who had been caught by surveillance cameras, wearing backpacks and strolling near the finish line moments before the explosions.—
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
In Bamako, sustained gunfire and explosions were heard near the main airport, forcing the cancellation of incoming and outgoing flights.—
Jewel Bright,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Dozens of wildfires keep burning in Georgia and Florida, with weekend breezes and low humidity expected to extend dangerous conditions.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Sunny skies and mild breezes are enveloping the Pharmalot campus once again.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Kay describes the aesthetic of the record in bursts.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Sycamore’s story is told in short bursts that immerse the reader into the present moment, creating a sense of urgency in the exploration of self, art, and family.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The tornadoes were the latest in a severe-weather season that has been unusually active in the Kansas City region.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Deadly tornadoes struck North Texas Saturday, including an EF2 tornado near Runaway Bay, about 80 miles northwest of Dallas.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Before the emotional outbursts at the meeting Thursday, Kinnear-Rausch, Little and Williams all expressed their heartbreak over the death of Jaxon and pledged to fix problems that led to the tragedy.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
But, unexpectedly, its film version released that same year became a midnight movie phenom, marked by its impromptu audience outbursts and eventually becoming a counter-culture landmark, widening the generational divide even further.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The latest flurries that dusted parts of the Sierra Nevada this week are unlikely to do much to ease California’s snow drought.—
Chaewon Chung,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
As the rain and snow fall, flurries can melt, mix together and refreeze just before hitting the ground, according to Jackson Macfarlane, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Boise office.—
Hali Smith
April 14,
Idaho Statesman,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The eruptions – yours, the partner’s – suggest that there’s a lot that’s been simmering underneath your interactions.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The eruptions — yours, the partner’s — suggest that there’s a lot that’s been simmering underneath your interactions.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gusts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gusts. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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