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
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If there's a major storm, that could be the defining feature.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
-
The musical took Broadway by storm back in 1996, running for 12 years and winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award for Best Musical and more.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Noun
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The incident wasn’t the first time Nixon caused a commotion on the House floor over redistricting.—
Gray Rohrer,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
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The employees will either be able to reach out to the culprit to quiet things down, or could transfer you to another room if the commotion doesn’t quit.—
Karla Walsh,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Then a fleet of America’s Cup AC50 catamarans — 50-foot carbon-fiber flying behemoths — came shrieking past Calico Jack’s at speeds approaching 50 knots.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
8 May 2026
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Nearby, children rode floaties atop the clear blue water, shrieking with delight as their parents lounged beneath umbrellas.—
Ada Calhoun,
Travel + Leisure,
7 May 2026
Noun
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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
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Increasing heat and humidity could spark showers and storms Friday morning, but a better chance for more widespread storms arrives Friday night into Saturday as a stronger disturbance moves in, according to the weather service.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 May 2026
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Avoid spring pruning to let blooms fully develop and prevent unnecessary disturbance to the tree.—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
11 May 2026
Verb
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One morning in 2013, before the sun had risen, Hiba and Ibrahim heard gunshots and screams.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
Also, there was an element of danger, and doing a scene that is really arduous, achieving an emotional peak for an amount of time and performing physical acts and screaming [about] a matter of life and death.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The metro area and areas north of that line may only see general thunderstorm activity, the weather service said.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
10 May 2026
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Chance of lightning increases as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is overhead.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Everyone was in a hurry to move forward into a newly peaceful world, a world without the tragedies of war abroad and the curse of sickness at home.—
Fran Moreland Johns,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
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Kiffin knows that, in Oxford and everywhere else, the love of fans and donors can sour in a hurry.—
Chris Smith,
Vanity Fair,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squall. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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