variants
or tornados
as in hurricanes
a violent and destructive storm in which powerful winds move around a central point
A siren alerted the town that they were in the path of a tornado. a tornado warning
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Recent Examples of tornadoes
Multiple tornadoes already tore through several states this week.
—
Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 10 Jan. 2026
After a bout of severe weather and tornadoes crossed Oklahoma on Thursday, the Sooner State will likely see more cold and precipitation into the week ahead.
—Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 9 Jan. 2026
Are tornadoes expected in Ohio?
—Brandi D. Addison, Cincinnati Enquirer, 8 Jan. 2026
These tornadoes have wind speeds of 111 mph and 135 mph and cause considerable damage.
—Chris Mueller, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 6 Jan. 2026
Others depend on media and smartphones to alert residents of severe storms capable of producing tornadoes.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 5 Jan. 2026
What causes tornadoes during Tennessee's second severe weather season?
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 6 Nov. 2025
The storms could to persist in the region through the weekend, threatening additional rainfall, hail and possible tornadoes across Louisiana and Alabama.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024
Heavy damage from natural phenomena — tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, and wildfires — has been on the rise for decades.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 10 Jan. 2026
After a bout of severe weather and tornadoes crossed Oklahoma on Thursday, the Sooner State will likely see more cold and precipitation into the week ahead.
—Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 9 Jan. 2026
Are tornadoes expected in Ohio?
—Brandi D. Addison, Cincinnati Enquirer, 8 Jan. 2026
These tornadoes have wind speeds of 111 mph and 135 mph and cause considerable damage.
—Chris Mueller, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 6 Jan. 2026
Others depend on media and smartphones to alert residents of severe storms capable of producing tornadoes.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 5 Jan. 2026
What causes tornadoes during Tennessee's second severe weather season?
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 6 Nov. 2025
The storms could to persist in the region through the weekend, threatening additional rainfall, hail and possible tornadoes across Louisiana and Alabama.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024
Heavy damage from natural phenomena — tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, and wildfires — has been on the rise for decades.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tornadoes
hurricanes
Noun
-
Here, sea level rise is accelerating at some of the most extreme rates on Earth, while hurricanes increasingly are swirling ashore with an unprecedented ferociousness.—
Amy Green,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Some of this, of course, is related to fires in California and hurricanes in the southeast that destroyed an enormous amount of utility infrastructure.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tornadoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tornadoes. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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