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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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

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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
The Vietnam National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned that coastal areas from Hue to Dak Lak may be hit by waves of up to 26 feet and a storm surge of up to 2 feet in addition to high winds, possibly exceeding 84 miles per hour. Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025 But cancellation patterns may be different than during storms. N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
Barricades were toppled over, beers were shotgunned, and some people even stormed the gates into the ballpark after a handful of fans left before the series was decided. Hailey Salvian, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025 That prompted Jericho to storm off backstage, get into a car, and drive away. Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for storm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for storm
Noun
  • The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2025
  • With summer kicking off, the occasional thunderstorm to start the day is inevitable this time of year in Florida.
    Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The Daily Dividend With the ongoing government shutdown, a Federal Reserve meeting and a barrage of earnings reports, you were bound to miss some headlines this week.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The overnight barrage was the second-largest of the war to date.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Trump has engineered a flurry of trade deals with other Asian countries and Australia over the past week to supply the US with rare earth minerals, which are critical for batteries and clean energy hardware as well as sectors more important to Trump, including weapons and AI chips.
    Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The hoax interview has generated a flurry of press reports on both sides of the Atlantic, including in The New York Post, which is also owned by Murdoch.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But these aren’t the only cups causing a commotion.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Actual Vancouverites barely stood by to watch the commotion.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The Rockies and Plains could see light snow, while Texas could see fair conditions, followed by rain, according to the forecast.
    Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Haiti’s Office of Civil Protection said flooding of the Saint Martin River caused by heavy rains also destroyed a bridge in Saint Suzanne in the northeast region of Haiti.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The cause of the fire and explosion was not immediately clear.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
  • The explosion of sports betting into the American sports industry was abrupt and jarring, and nobody is quite used to it yet.
    David Hill, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The debate over Vietnam divided the rising baby boomer generation from their parents and fueled a cultural upheaval.
    Susan Page, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
  • In a world fraught with real-life villains, political upheaval and a collective sense of hopelessness, fantasy steps in to inspire people to carry on, and that rings especially true for LGBTQ+ teens.
    Brittany Johnson, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Cost of living is raging, high-paying job opportunities are scarce, and layoffs are on the rise.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
  • There was such conflict raging within me.
    Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 3 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Storm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/storm. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.

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