billowing 1 of 2

adjective

as in rolling

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billowing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of billow
as in protruding
to extend outward beyond a usual point the curtains in the open windows billowed in the summer wind

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 billowing
Adjective
The reality star wore a billowing tie-dye gown complete with three-dimensional ruffles. — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Verb
Shuting Qiu’s lineup of vivid patterns and billowing silhouettes offered a burst of color and optimism to the city. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026 Last fall, when Florida welcomed Mississippi State for its mid-October homecoming game, smoke was already billowing. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 Flames were raging on the undercarriage of the car and smoke was billowing into the air. — Kris Habermehl, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026 And then there’s this suit—the billowing pants, the jacket closed just so, worn with socks and sandals. — Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026 Scio, looking like a bridal Joan of Arc, wore a Valentino look also by Michele with a billowing navy blue top and silver metal detailing. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 7 Oct. 2026 The dramatic daytime strike on the national landmark saw people clinging to windows to escape flames and thick smoke billowing out of the structure. — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026 While Moore’s set was loose and billowing, this set will give your outfit more definition. — Brooke Knappenberger, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2026 The fog rises from Mount Tamalpais like a spirit, slowly billowing over spears of feathery redwoods and fluffs of fragrant bay laurels. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for billowing
  1. rolling
  2. protruding
  3. surging
  4. poking
  5. swelling
  6. bulging
  7. wavy
Adjective
  • As Europe panted through rolling heatwaves this summer, I became drawn in by The Perfect Prescription anew.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The entertaining spaces, including the adjoining living and dining rooms, are framed by large windows that look out on the rolling hills.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of rolling
Verb
  • The 10-month-old boy had a deep puncture wound in his upper chest area, while the 3-year-old girl had an inner organ protruding out of a chest-area wound.
    — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • When a switch is at rest, a protruding piece of the plastic stem keeps the switch’s two leaves from making contact.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of protruding
Adjective
  • The move highlights how surging demand for AI computing capacity is drawing institutional investors, as governments, companies and startups race to build out data centers to support AI workloads.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of surging
Verb
  • My physical study, on the floor, poking at what was there in the open field of the air, led to newfound levels of learning to process, in poems on the page, where my initial feelings of hunger came from.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In a recent interview with OutKick Dropkick, Hefner was already poking the bear in hopes of getting eyes on his event.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of poking
Adjective
  • The hope was this would mean less swelling, less pain and, potentially, a significantly faster recovery.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 13 May 2026
  • Another effective anti-swelling remedy is a delicious snack that may be hiding in the fridge.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 27 Oct. 2025
Definition of swelling
Verb
  • In the grayness that should have been sunrise that morning, dark clouds sagged baggily over the very treetops, bulging as if ready to split under their liquid weight.
    — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Simmons has been out since training camp, with what head coach Andy Reid more recently called a bulging disc in his back.
    — Sam McDowell October 12, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of bulging
Adjective
  • For example, if the edge of a leaf grows faster than its center, this can lead to a curled or wavy shape—as with Lollo lettuce.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In the guest bathroom, wavy blue-and-white tiles are contrasted with doodle-like sea-creature wallpaper, a terrazzo countertop, and a clear shower curtain patterned with a yellow grid.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of wavy

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Cite this Entry

“Billowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/billowing. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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