storm 1 of 2

noun

ˈstȯrm How to pronounce storm (audio)
Definition of stormnext
1
as in thunderstorm
a disturbance of the atmosphere accompanied by wind and often by precipitation (as rain or snow) a winter storm bringing about six inches of snow

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in barrage
a heavy fall of objects police had to endure a storm of rocks and bricks hurled by the rioters

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in flurry
a rapid or overwhelming outpouring of many things at once the army's spokesperson faced a storm of questions from reporters

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity a few minutes of calm before the storm, when the store would open its doors on the busiest day of the year

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in rain
a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity the storm caused major damage to our barn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling a storm of indignation and demands for his resignation arose when the mayor's dishonesty was exposed

Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order) civil wars and other storms of unrest swept through the African continent

Synonyms & Similar Words

storm

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to rage
to express one's anger usually violently the chef spent the morning storming at his staff about the ruined sauces

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to rain
to fall as water in a continuous stream of drops from the clouds it storms so frequently up in the mountains that the peaks are rarely visible from the valley below

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to attack
to take sudden, violent action against the pirates stormed the ship, easily taking the whole crew as their prisoners

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to steam
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger by the time we arrived, our hostess was storming because dinner was ruined

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb storm contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of storm are assail, assault, attack, and bombard. While all these words mean "to make an onslaught upon," storm implies attempting to break into a defended position.

preparing to storm the fortress

When might assail be a better fit than storm?

While in some cases nearly identical to storm, assail implies attempting to break down resistance by repeated blows or shots.

assailed the enemy with artillery fire

Where would assault be a reasonable alternative to storm?

In some situations, the words assault and storm are roughly equivalent. However, assault suggests a direct attempt to overpower by suddenness and violence of onslaught.

commandos assaulted the building from all sides

When would attack be a good substitute for storm?

The words attack and storm can be used in similar contexts, but attack implies taking the initiative in a struggle.

plan to attack the town at dawn

When can bombard be used instead of storm?

The words bombard and storm are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bombard applies to attacking with bombs or shells.

bombarded the city nightly

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 storm
Noun
The elderly woman who was killed by a blast as severe summer storms roared through the Midwest lived in a house that was filled with cuckoo clocks that would go off every hour, on the hour, her family said. — Selina Guevara, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2026 This is no casual acquaintanceship but a soul-deep bond capable of weathering any storm or earthquake or hail of bullets life might throw its way. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
Despite a 25% decline in gold from its high in January, proponents of the precious metal are storming into bullish call positions after almost two months of sideways action gives way to a rally Friday following weak jobs data. — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026 Hours later mobs of his supporters did that, storming the Capitol and using flagpoles, bats, and pipes to attack overwhelmed law enforcement. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for storm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for storm
  1. thunderstorm
  2. barrage
  3. flurry
  4. commotion
  5. rain
  6. explosion
  7. upheaval
  8. rage
Noun
  • But no reasonable parent mistakes that for true readiness to handle rush-hour traffic in a thunderstorm.
    — David Etue, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • It was instead caused by cold air plummeting to the ground from the upper levels of a passing thunderstorm, experts says.
    — Mark Price July 30, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026
Definition of thunderstorm
Noun
  • The 2024 race pitted Scharf, then Trump’s personal attorney, against Bailey, who used his office to file a barrage of legal briefs in support of the Republican president.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026
  • In IconArrows pointing outwards Meanwhile, the daily barrage of news and headlines continue.
    — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of barrage
Noun
  • But Davis’s book is part of a flurry of statements and interviews that, investigators say, taken together amount to an admission he was involved in the murder.
    — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Those conferences signed on and saved it from near death late last month after a flurry of negotiations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of flurry
Noun
  • Sleep was beginning to finally visit the insomniacs and drunkards of T—in central Manila when a commotion louder than the usual domestic squabbles erupted from the room above Mang Calixto’s bakery.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Aug. 2026
  • And, true to form, Clowney arrives with commotion and fanfare for great things ahead.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of commotion
Noun
  • Instead, the rain dissipated around noon, the temperature dropped, and a slight breeze provided a slight reprieve to the corn-sweat humidity that engulfs this region every August.
    — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • That is important, as the show includes simulated rain showers with real water pouring down on the stage from above.
    — Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of rain
Noun
  • If Yellowstone erupts again, the most probable outcome is not a continent-spanning explosion.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike other successful launches, the incident appears to have been downplayed on China’s state media with scant mention of the explosion.
    — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • To be fair, the upheaval among OpenAI’s exec ranks has extended to men too; COO Brad Lightcap announced his exit last week.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Like many in his generation Zhu’s early career was upended by the political upheavals of the Mao Zedong era.
    — CNN Staff, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of upheaval
Verb
  • In Croatia, 14 people were hospitalized, of whom seven remained in life-threatening condition early Friday from a fire that raged overnight by the coastal town of Omis and forced more than 1,000 people to evacuate their homes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The director recalls being selected for the first edition of the event in 1995, when the Bosnian War was still raging, and Sarajevo remained under siege.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of rage

Browse Nearby Words

storing
storm
storm cellar
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Storm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/storm. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on storm

Nglish: Translation of storm for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about storm

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All