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
Storms may start early in the afternoon and continue through the remainder of the evening into early Thursday, bringing with them threats of damaging winds, large hail, tornadoes, heavy downpours and flooding.
—
Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
The areas are at risk of destructive winds of up to 80 mph, large hail and strong tornadoes.
—Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 10 June 2026
The National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes in Michigan on June 9, 2026.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 10 June 2026
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
Severe weather events with tornadoes are definitely something that has and can happen around here in December.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
The areas are at risk of destructive winds of up to 80 mph, large hail and strong tornadoes.
—Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 10 June 2026
The National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes in Michigan on June 9, 2026.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 10 June 2026
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
Severe weather events with tornadoes are definitely something that has and can happen around here in December.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tornadoes
hurricanes
Noun
-
Storm shutters are a good idea if the potential for tornadoes, hurricanes, and flying debris exists.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
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Previous El Niño forecasts have been raising alarms globally because of the pattern's powerful influence over the world's weather, from worldwide heat to hurricanes, and a strong event could create ripple effects for months to come.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tornadoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tornadoes. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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