1
as in storm
a disturbance of the atmosphere accompanied by wind and often by precipitation (as rain or snow)
a snow squall is expected tonight
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
the annual squall created when the store holds its biggest sale of the year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squall
CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
Some squall lines can produce tornadoes, too.
—Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2026
Brandi D. Addison, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 13 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls in the Detroit area caused a number of car crashes on Interstate 75 on Monday, prompting the Michigan State Police to close the northbound highway and causing major backups for travelers.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squall
Noun
People were making so much money, being greedy, but a squall was coming, one that could morph into a Cat 5 hurricane any minute.
—CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
Some squall lines can produce tornadoes, too.
—Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
Unlike longer-lasting snowstorms, squalls move fast and can catch drivers off guard, especially when roads appear mostly clear just moments before conditions deteriorate.
—Brandi D. Addison, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 13 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls in the Detroit area caused a number of car crashes on Interstate 75 on Monday, prompting the Michigan State Police to close the northbound highway and causing major backups for travelers.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for squall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squall
Noun
-
December to March is technically rainy season but storms typically happen once per day.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
Variety spoke with Hollywood producers, filmmakers, distributors and YouTube executives about this sea change and the young rebels taking Hollywood by storm.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Winnetka’s Village Council put an end to the latest commotion over its lakefront by opposing a project that would build chain-link fencing for dogs on Centennial Beach.—
Shun Graves,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
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Those seated in the gunner or engineer positions will also be treated to additional clips of Grogu via their adjacent flight panels, the young alien here portrayed as something of a playful pet of a child who is exaggeratedly chill during the commotion.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2026
Verb
-
Lyra spent hours running and spinning through the surf, shrieking with joy when the waves caught her.—
Brianna Randall,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
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But in the early days of the Maniacs, everyone swears that Merchant was a shrieking dervish during shows, exorcising her teenage demons on the stage of every bar in the Rust Belt.—
Dan Kois,
Pitchfork,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
One version of the nation’s history anchors itself in the efforts to navigate those tempests, to better the imperfect tools bequeathed to us by imperfect men.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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For now, Buttigieg has chosen to wait out the tempests in Traverse City, the hometown of his husband, Chasten, a former schoolteacher.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Shine was found by patrol officers who responded to a disturbance at a home on Papaya Farms Road in Pāhoa on Monday, according to police.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
1 June 2026
-
Officers determined that the dog belonged to the man and woman involved in the original disturbance and arrested the woman on charges of felony domestic violence and felony assault with a deadly weapon.—
Velvet Wu
June 1,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
On the witness stand, the teenager was reportedly combative and flustered by Jackson’s attorney Tom Mesereau, who attempted to poke holes in Gavin’s testimony and allegedly screamed at the boy throughout.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
Jay practically embarrassed Mase, then a pop rapper at Bad Boy Records, not by screaming but by sounding amused.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Luke Tailwagger, a 13-year-old chihuahua, was found wandering the streets of Los Angeles during a thunderstorm in 2015, according to his owner Niki Banchero.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
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The likelihood of lightning increases as a thunderstorm gets closer and reaches its highest point when the storm is directly overhead.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
And don’t be in too much of a hurry, the first examples will be delivered from 2028.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 June 2026
-
The first step was to add some weight to that 6-6 frame, and do so in a hurry.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squall. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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