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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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
There is a slight chance of storms on Sunday afternoon, with a 15% to 25% chance of precipitation, but some forecasts call for dry conditions. — Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026 Had there been no storm, Whistler would have followed her own body scent back to the ranch. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
Jerusalem — Israeli settlers stormed a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank on Saturday and seized a home while its owner was inside in the latest brazen settler attack in the area. — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 The local population took matters into their own hands, storming and ransacking a migrant camp. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 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
  • Sunday is trending drier now with just a stray afternoon shower or thunderstorm.
    — Steven Sosna, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • This thunderstorm is producing an excessive amount of deadly cloud to ground lightning.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of thunderstorm
Noun
  • Sánchez faced a barrage of questions on Thursday from lawmakers after his opening address alongside calls for early elections.
    — Suman Naishadham, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The home run barrage continued into the bottom of the second inning when Bregman cranked the first of his three home runs, a two-run shot off another Harrison fastball that gave the Cubs a 6-0 lead.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of barrage
Noun
  • The Miami Herald spoke with four Cubans and one Brazilian man who were sent as part of a flurry of deportation flights across Africa in August.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Ahead of the official start of the US Open, a flurry of fetes took place across New York City.
    — Paul Chi, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of flurry
Noun
  • The Canadian singer caused a commotion with her ensemble, showing off a head-to-toe Alaïa ensemble from the upcoming Archetypes spring 2027 collection.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 29 Aug. 2026
  • There was no illness or injury, Krauss said, but the dog seemed ready to step away from the crowds and commotion.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of commotion
Noun
  • Incoming low pressure from the west pushes away heat and allows better moisture to enter the state, raising rain chances as soon as Friday evening and increasing through the weekend.
    — Tevian Whitehurst, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Extreme precipitation is increasingly falling on mountains as rain not snow, increasing the risks of landslides and soil erosion.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of rain
Noun
  • That has led to an explosion in interest in the annual Pacific leaders meeting, which has grown from a casual affair to a summit with 2,000 attendees.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • More messages arrived over Discord, X, WhatsApp, and even from a colleague who had been asked by a friend to see whether Fabian would correct his story to say that the explosion had been caused by interceptor fragments.
    — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • The landscape stayed quiet for a while, until a series of upheavals in the American League West.
    — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Artificial intelligence has unleashed the greatest upheaval within the industry since Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone in 2007.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of upheaval
Verb
  • The deadly multistate outbreak, linked to iceberg lettuce, has raged on this summer.
    — Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • With wars still raging in the Middle East and Ukraine — and turbulence escalating globally — artists on the film festival circuit have been navigating political minefields.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of rage

Browse Nearby Words

storing
storm
storm cellar
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Cite this Entry

“Storm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/storm. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on storm

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about storm

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