westerly

noun

Definition of westerlynext
as in gale

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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 westerly Wendling, the most north-westerly site of all and barely in the valley, turns the same cool end darker, toward plum, blackberry and savoury earth. — Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 First, through a combination of weaker trade winds and westerlies over the tropical Atlantic, La Niña tends to create a more placid atmosphere. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 20 May 2024 Their modest city saw an influx of evacuees from nearby rural and coastal regions soon after hot westerlies sent walls of flame into a string of towns and villages around New Year's Eve. — NBC News, 11 Jan. 2020 As the land cools in the autumn, north-easterly winds replace the south-westerlies (see map). — The Economist, 27 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for westerly
  1. gale
  2. wind
  3. blow
  4. northeaster
  5. headwind
Noun
  • The blaze raged through pine forests and scrubland through the weekend, whipped by gale force winds that often prevented water-dropping planes from operating.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Winds cripple aerial firefighting Nearly 500 firefighters and 23 aircraft were deployed, but gale-force winds drove flames through dry forest and crippled the response, preventing some aircraft from reaching the sea to collect water.
    — Elena Becatoros, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of gale
Noun
  • In addition to blocking the view of those behind them, the canopy also presents a hazard of blowing away if there are wind gusts.
    — John Natale, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026
  • But the journey can turn rough when wind and sea conditions deteriorate, Agnos said, particularly around the Cyclades, where seasonal Meltemi winds can churn up the Aegean.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of wind
Noun
  • The breach is the latest blow to a struggling small city that has faced years of severe budget deficits, pushing it to the brink of insolvency, as well as chronic understaffing in its police, fire and other municipal departments.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • That would be a heavy blow for an economy growing at less than 1% a year.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of blow
Noun
  • The ocean keeps coming because of climate change, sea level rise, nor'easters, hurricanes, et cetera.
    — Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 8 July 2023
  • That morning, around 6, authorities found O'Keefe on the ground outside the Canton home just before a nor'easter struck the town with 21 inches of snow.
    — Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 26 May 2023
Definition of northeaster
Noun
  • Such headwinds are unfamiliar for Reform, which had previously been in the ascendancy, leading national opinion polls and enjoying historic gains in local elections.
    — Reagan Yip, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Certification bodies and government stakeholders – constituencies that typically favor precision – are trending in the opposite direction, choosing flexibility over rigidity in the face of political headwinds.
    — Mike Feibus, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of headwind

Browse Nearby Words

westerlies
westerly
wet
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Cite this Entry

“Westerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/westerly. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on westerly

Nglish: Translation of westerly for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about westerly

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