gust

noun

Definition of gustnext
1
as in blow
a sudden brief rush of wind a gust tore her umbrella from her grip and blew it down the street

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling the stressed-out coworker cried out with a gust of emotion that we had never witnessed before

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 gust Severe storms with damaging, 60 mph gusts may develop in the Charlotte area Saturday afternoon and evening, National Weather Service meteorologists said. — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2026 Sustained winds were clocked at 49 mph Saturday night, with one gust reaching 73 mph, the hurricane center said. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 15 Aug. 2026 Storms may produce heavy rain/flash flooding in a short period of time, along with frequent lightning, quarter size hail & wind gusts to 60 mph. — Katie Langford, Denver Post, 15 Aug. 2026 Winds are ramping up across the state already with wind gusts up to 50 mph along ridge tops and wind prone, leeward areas of Oahu, Molokai, Lanai and Maui, the weather service said. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gust
  1. blow
  2. explosion
  3. breeze
  4. burst
  5. tornado
  6. outburst
  7. gale
  8. eruption
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
  • Deadly fires, often linked to electrical faults or gas cylinder explosions, are common in India where investigators have frequently pointed to safety lapses and inadequate enforcement of fire regulations as contributing to recurring loss of life.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Hugo Weaving’s Frank Harkness, the nefarious birth father of agent River Cartwright (Jack Lowdon), also makes an appearance, and the trailer previews plenty of explosions, shootouts and even hand-to-hand combat.
    — Lisa de los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • Palm trees abound; a perpetual breeze and a soundtrack of chirping birds complement the luscious grounds.
    — Baz Dreisinger, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The sandy shores of Pawleys Island and Litchfield Beach are about 20 minutes away, but afternoons on the porch, appreciating the breezes that come in off the Winyah Bay and the connecting rivers, are just as peaceful.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of breeze
Noun
  • In little more than a year, Europe’s broadcasting sector has seen a burst of dealmaking that would have looked improbable a decade ago.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The trick is to hold the can 8 to 10 inches away, and spray in short bursts.
    — Iman Balagam, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • AccuWeather data from April showed Illinois already leading the nation in tornado, hail and high‑wind reports before the destruction last month.
    — Daily Southtown, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Meteorologists have also improved in their ability to detect and understand the storms that cause tornadoes, says Brett Borchardt, a senior meteorologist at Chicago’s National Weather Service.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of tornado
Noun
  • The outbursts helped relieve some pressure, but Nakashima tightened up as the prospect of making his first Masters 1000 final neared.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • White left immediately after her 2 1/2-minute outburst ended without taking questions.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of outburst
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
  • The department's decision was met with an eruption of applause.
    — Lyanne Wang, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Scientists would also expect an impending volcanic eruption to produce warning signs.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of eruption

Browse Nearby Words

gussy up
gust
gusto
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on gust

Nglish: Translation of gust for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gust

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