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
Several intense supercell thunderstorms moved across northern Illinois and northwestern Indiana on Tuesday, including one responsible for at least four tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service office in Chicago.
—
Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026
The weather service received reports of hail 2 inches and larger in some counties west of the metro, but no tornadoes were reported.
—Julia James, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
Together, these ingredients create an environment capable of producing severe thunderstorms, which can bring large hail, damaging winds and occasionally tornadoes.
—Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
Several damaging tornadoes and grapefruit-size hail struck Illinois and Indiana late Tuesday.
—Ben Noll, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2026
Survey crews will work to determine the strength and total number of tornadoes.
—Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Communities have used loud sirens to warn people about approaching storms, tsunamis and tornadoes, but now some activists in Los Angeles are using sirens to warn about immigration agents.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
There will be some severe storms with another risk of hail and tornadoes.
—Michael Autovino, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026
Large to very large hail, widespread damaging winds and tornadoes — some potentially strong — are possible.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026
The weather service received reports of hail 2 inches and larger in some counties west of the metro, but no tornadoes were reported.
—Julia James, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
Together, these ingredients create an environment capable of producing severe thunderstorms, which can bring large hail, damaging winds and occasionally tornadoes.
—Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
Several damaging tornadoes and grapefruit-size hail struck Illinois and Indiana late Tuesday.
—Ben Noll, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2026
Survey crews will work to determine the strength and total number of tornadoes.
—Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Communities have used loud sirens to warn people about approaching storms, tsunamis and tornadoes, but now some activists in Los Angeles are using sirens to warn about immigration agents.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
There will be some severe storms with another risk of hail and tornadoes.
—Michael Autovino, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026
Large to very large hail, widespread damaging winds and tornadoes — some potentially strong — are possible.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tornadoes
hurricanes
Noun
-
Wind shear, which occurs when winds blow at different speeds and/or directions with height, acts as an impediment to fledgling tropical storms and hurricanes.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Coastal communities are already seeing the impacts during storms and hurricanes, where higher sea levels mean more water is surging onto land.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tornadoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tornadoes. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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