storm 1 of 2

1
as in thunderstorm
a disturbance of the atmosphere accompanied by wind and often by precipitation (as rain or snow) a winter storm bringing about six inches of snow

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2
as in barrage
a heavy fall of objects police had to endure a storm of rocks and bricks hurled by the rioters

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3
4
5
as in rain
a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity the storm caused major damage to our barn

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

6
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling a storm of indignation and demands for his resignation arose when the mayor's dishonesty was exposed

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7

storm

2 of 2

verb

1
2
as in to rain
to fall as water in a continuous stream of drops from the clouds it storms so frequently up in the mountains that the peaks are rarely visible from the valley below

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
as in to steam
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger by the time we arrived, our hostess was storming because dinner was ruined

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb storm contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of storm are assail, assault, attack, and bombard. While all these words mean "to make an onslaught upon," storm implies attempting to break into a defended position.

preparing to storm the fortress

When might assail be a better fit than storm?

While in some cases nearly identical to storm, assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots.

assailed the enemy with artillery fire

Where would assault be a reasonable alternative to storm?

In some situations, the words assault and storm are roughly equivalent. However, assault suggests a direct attempt to overpower by suddenness and violence of onslaught.

commandos assaulted the building from all sides

When would attack be a good substitute for storm?

The words attack and storm can be used in similar contexts, but attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle.

plan to attack the town at dawn

When can bombard be used instead of storm?

The words bombard and storm are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bombard applies to attacking with bombs or shells.

bombarded the city nightly

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of storm
Noun
Among other things, a lack of staff hampered the State Emergency Response Team’s ability to maintain a 24-hour operation that was supposed to support local and county officials who were overwhelmed by the massive storm. Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 27 June 2025 Both, for a minute, actually considered rushing their subsequent strokes simply to beat the Colorado storm. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 27 June 2025
Verb
As Kelli storms off, Brit yells the distasteful comment about Kelli’s abortions, following it up by calling her a hobbit, and the rest of the women reflexively gasp, knowing how low of a blow such a statement is. Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 23 June 2025 Shildt stormed out of the visiting dugout and, after briefly tending to Tatis, continued toward the Dodgers’ side of the field, appearing to direct his ire at Roberts. Dennis Lin, New York Times, 21 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for storm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for storm
Noun
  • How to act during strong winds Take shelter: Immediately go inside a sturdy building during a high wind warning or severe thunderstorm warning and move to an interior room or basement.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 22 June 2025
  • The longest weather delay came on Friday, when Benfica’s 6-0 win over Auckland City was marred by a two-hour weather delay due to thunderstorms in Orlando, again.
    Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 22 June 2025
Noun
  • More Hossein Beris/Getty Images Iran launched a significant missile barrage on major cities across Israel on Friday.
    Amanda Castro Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
  • The Sixers signed George to a four-year max contract last offseason to round out their Big Three next to Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, but that trio never got off the ground in 2024-25 due to a nonstop barrage of injuries.
    Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
Noun
  • Then, in early May, came a flurry of warnings — emails from spoofed Coinbase.com addresses, suspicious activity alerts, and a barrage of phone calls.
    Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 18 June 2025
  • President Trump's flurry of recent presidential pardons has cost crime victims and taxpayers approximately $1.3 billion in restitution and payments, according to a review by House Judiciary Democrats.
    June 17, CBS News, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • Noem stopped speaking for a brief moment during the commotion, then immediately continued.
    Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025
  • Press became aware of West’s presence when there was a loud commotion outside the courtroom and a figure in a white-on-white denim outfit was spotted entering the public entrance at the 500 Pearl Street Courthouse.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • The chance of rain will carry into Thursday, with possible showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m.
    Baltimore Sun staff, Baltimore Sun, 23 June 2025
  • Africanized honey bees don't survive in areas with cold winters and don't like high levels of rain, making for natural cutoffs in areas where temperatures fall, Rangel said.
    Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 23 June 2025
Noun
  • No one was injured in the explosion, which rained debris on the beaches of the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 June 2025
  • Like Squid Game, Dead Set juxtaposes familiar cultural symbols and settings with grim, inevitable explosions of blood, straddling the line between twisted, compelling drama and a sobering reminder of violence lurking in our present society.
    Rory Doherty, Time, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • The dashboard comes at a time when the justice system is still adjusting to major changes, like the elimination of cash bail in 2023 in addition to the massive upheaval brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2025
  • The closing comes at a time of mild upheaval in the Coconut Grove culinary scene.
    Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • The battle over Elizabeth Street Garden has raged on for more than a decade.
    Randy Mastro, New York Daily News, 24 June 2025
  • Heredia shared a video alongside his comments, which shows a diver pulling rope out of the raging waters near the waterfall.
    Abigail Adams, People.com, 23 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Storm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/storm. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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