1
as in storms
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
Relevance
2
as in commotions
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
as in shrieks
to cry out loudly and emotionally
the baby squalled in pain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of squalls
Laura Bannon, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls are intense winter weather events often associated with strong cold fronts.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2026
Winter weather is firmly in place across South Dakota, where heavy snow squalls can create sharp differences in accumulation.
—Brandi D. Addison, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 16 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls can develop rapidly and will be scattered across the state.
—Cooper Worth, Des Moines Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls could cause sudden whiteout conditions on interstates between the Great Lakes and Appalachians.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Snow squalls are short while a snowstorm could last for several hours or days.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 29 Dec. 2025
Flurries, snow showers and squalls swept in with the first Arctic front across New York and New England, and more snow will extend from the Plains into the Midwest this weekend, AccuWeather said.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
Bill Kelly, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
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
The surges of Arctic air will generate rounds of flurries and squalls in certain locations and may assist igniting storms with more widespread snow.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 3 Dec. 2025
Noun
Snow squalls are fast-moving, localized winter weather events in which high winds and sudden snow create extremely dangerous whiteout conditions on roads, and often lead to car crashes and spinouts.
—Laura Bannon, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls are intense winter weather events often associated with strong cold fronts.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2026
Winter weather is firmly in place across South Dakota, where heavy snow squalls can create sharp differences in accumulation.
—Brandi D. Addison, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 16 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls can develop rapidly and will be scattered across the state.
—Cooper Worth, Des Moines Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls could cause sudden whiteout conditions on interstates between the Great Lakes and Appalachians.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Snow squalls are short while a snowstorm could last for several hours or days.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 29 Dec. 2025
Flurries, snow showers and squalls swept in with the first Arctic front across New York and New England, and more snow will extend from the Plains into the Midwest this weekend, AccuWeather said.
—Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025
Verb
The workweek is followed by an Arctic cold front with snow showers and squalls likely late Friday before the bottom falls out once again, which brings us to the weekend.
—Bill Kelly, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
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
The surges of Arctic air will generate rounds of flurries and squalls in certain locations and may assist igniting storms with more widespread snow.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 3 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squalls
Noun
-
Republicans argue the region’s frustrations reflect years of structural failures under Cooper’s disaster management system, stretching back to earlier storms.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Feb. 2026
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Stein told reporters Tuesday the state expects to have about 50,000 tons of salt on hand within the next few days and entered the recent winter weather stretch with enough supply to handle three major storms.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
McEntire shrieks between laughs, gesturing to the photographer.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The space weather center issued a G1 geomagnetic storm watch for a heightened risk of minor disturbances to Earth's magnetic field from the portion of the field that may reach the Earth.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
3 Feb. 2026
-
More reliable forecasts of solar activity could help protect satellites, reduce risks to navigation systems, and give power grid operators advance warning of geomagnetic disturbances.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At bars across the United States, live watch parties were packed, squeals resounding.—
Faith Hill,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Trains are drowning out the coach’s voice, the wind squeals in my hearing aids.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bill Belichick’s resume screams one-way ticket to Canton, Ohio, but when he wasn’t voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, many were left flabbergasted on Tuesday night.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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The 360-degree design also allowed for the crowd’s screams to echo and fill the entirety of the Kia Forum.—
Kristine Kwak,
Rolling Stone,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But even those noises faded into nothing once the wooden shutters were closed at turndown, and the soft whir of the air conditioning took over.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The noises also changed each night, meaning participants consistently slept under different conditions.—
Kaan Ozcan,
NBC news,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
About two couples, connected and dependent on one another, raising their kids alongside each other, facing the same turmoils, the same existential questions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
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Mayer and Strong offer a broad pop-history lesson, in which the same tensions and turmoils churn on and on in their terrible cycle throughout the decades; the only thing that’s changed are the aesthetics.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Noun
-
She’s covered several hurricanes in South Florida, including 2022’s Hurricane Ian, which flooded her TV station.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
1 Feb. 2026
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At the same time, climate impacts are getting real—droughts are supercharging fire seasons; hotter seas are intensifying hurricanes.—
Christian Elliott,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squalls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squalls. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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