1
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
the surprise verdict of the jury created a wild williwaw as reporters rushed to file their stories
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gust
a sudden brief rush of wind
a williwaw rose up seemingly out of nowhere and wreaked havoc with our campsite
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 williwaw
The williwaw, a gale-force wind that came rolling down the mountain gathering speed, was depicted as a whorled cloud.
—
Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Sep. 2022
The dominant use of williwaw throughout the 19th century was in relation to storms around Cape Horn, including the Straits of Magellan.
—David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Sep. 2022
The williwaw gusts swirled thick fog among transport ships off Attu Island, and the waiting infantrymen nervously mulled the name of their landing site: Massacre Bay.
—Alex Horton, Washington Post, 24 May 2018
Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Sep. 2022
The dominant use of williwaw throughout the 19th century was in relation to storms around Cape Horn, including the Straits of Magellan.
—David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Sep. 2022
The williwaw gusts swirled thick fog among transport ships off Attu Island, and the waiting infantrymen nervously mulled the name of their landing site: Massacre Bay.
—Alex Horton, Washington Post, 24 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for williwaw
Noun
-
Noem stopped speaking for a brief moment during the commotion, then immediately continued.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 June 2025
-
Press became aware of West’s presence when there was a loud commotion outside the courtroom and a figure in a white-on-white denim outfit was spotted entering the public entrance at the 500 Pearl Street Courthouse.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
The fire occurred on a breezy spring day, with strong gusts blowing from west to east, pushing flames and thick black smoke along the pier toward the shore.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 June 2025
-
One strong gust of wind can be enough to flip one of these trailers onto its side.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
22 June 2025
Noun
-
The talk started in earnest in the fall of 2023, although even then there were signs of potential long-term disturbance.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
-
What To Know On June 12, four individuals escaped and entered Delaney Hall following reports of disturbances related to the food quality and conditions inside the facility.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
In another blow to China’s push to become a regional leader, India on Thursday rejected signing a joint statement facilitated by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization—one such grouping set up by China and Russia to counter U.S. influence.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
27 June 2025
-
The Senate parliamentarian has advised that a Medicaid provider tax overhaul central to President Donald Trump’s tax cut and spending bill does not adhere to the chamber’s procedural rules, delivering a crucial blow as Republicans rush to finish the package this week.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
Later on, Zegler caused a stir with politically divisive social media posts about the 2024 presidential election.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
-
Ohtani’s return to pitching caused a stir around Chavez Ravine.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
Fitting these is a breeze, and the same thing can be said for the sticks and D-pad toppers.—
Matt Gardner,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
Weekend outlook After a day of breezes across the capital region for Juneteenth, conditions are forecast to remain seasonably clear and warm, with Sacramento and Redding expected to reach the low 80s and Auburn and the lower Sierra foothills in the mid-70s on Friday.—
Daniel Hunt,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
View Recipe 08 of 10 Skillet Taco Pie Need to feed a crowd in a hurry?—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2025
-
Kourtney Kardashian is another celebrity who wasn’t in a hurry to move in with her husband Travis Barker.—
Rachel Flynn,
People.com,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
Winners that scud through the court from all directions.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
-
Their optimism regarding the possible Iranian retaliation would be based on the history of Israeli resilience in the face of Iraq's scud attacks in 1991, and Hamas' and Hezbollah's rocket strikes.—
Dmitry Adamsky,
Foreign Affairs,
20 Feb. 2011
Cite this Entry
“Williwaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/williwaw. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share