heat wave

noun

Synonyms of heat wavenext
: a period of unusually hot weather

Examples of heat wave in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
It was followed by four heat waves, which never happened before, Gobillard said. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026 Five heat waves so far have broken records on the continent and there has been drought and wildfires as well. — Greg Dixon, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026 The recent heat waves that have set France abroil—shuttering museums, sparking wildfires, and sending citizens plunging into the Seine—have taken their toll on the famed gardens of Claude Monet in Giverny in Normandy. — News Desk, Artforum, 20 Aug. 2026 Miami tied its all-time high temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday, amid a sprawling heat wave that is affecting areas from Texas to the Southeast. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heat wave

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heat wave was in 1893

Rhymes for heat wave

See All Rhymes for heat wave

Browse Nearby Words

heat up
heat wave
heaume
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Heat wave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heat%20wave. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

heat wave

noun
: a period of unusually hot weather

More from Merriam-Webster on heat wave

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for heat wave

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about heat wave

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