storm
Pluralstorms
Pluralstorms
Formsstorms, storming, stormed
- 1A time of very bad weather with strong winds and heavy rain, snow, or hail, often with thunder and lightning.
Like the sky getting very angry, with wind, rain, and loud thunder.
The storm knocked down power lines across the whole town.
Sailors watched the approaching storm with growing worry.
Oppositecalm
Note
- 2To move quickly and loudly, often because you are angry.
Like rushing away fast and loud because you are upset.
I storm out whenever the meeting turns into a shouting match.
She stormed up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door.
UsageSay storm out or storm off: she stormed out.
Similarstomp, stalk, flounce, march, stamp
Note
- 3To attack a place suddenly and with force, rushing in to take control of it.
Like a crowd rushing through a gate all at once to take over a place.
Soldiers stormed the castle at dawn.
The troops plan to storm the fort tonight.
UsageSay storm the castle, with no word in between.
Similarattack, assault, rush, charge
Oppositedefend
Note
- 4A time of great trouble and unrest in a family, community, or country.
Like bad weather, but in a group of people, with everyone angry, loud, and out of control.
The scandal created a political storm that lasted for months.
The small town went through a political storm after the mayor quit.
UsageOften political storm.
Note
- 5A sudden, powerful outburst of sound, words, thoughts, or strong feelings.
Like a clap of thunder, but made of cheers, words, or feelings.
Her announcement set off a storm of applause.
A storm of emotions overwhelmed him as he read the letter.
UsageSay a storm of applause or tears.
Similaroutburst, outpouring, flood, torrent, eruption
Note
- 6A sudden, violent attack on a fort or other strong, defended place.
Like everyone rushing together to break into a locked, guarded building.
The army took the castle by storm at dawn.
Hundreds of soldiers died in the storm of the fortress.
UsageMostly in take something by storm.
Less common meanings
- 7If it storms, there are strong winds and heavy rain, snow, or thunder and lightning.
Like the sky losing its temper with wind and rain.
It stormed all night, and the power went out.
It can storm here on summer afternoons.
Note
- 8A sudden, heavy rush of things falling or being thrown, like blows or objects.
Like hail falling fast and hard, but made of blows or thrown things.
A storm of arrows fell on the advancing soldiers.
The boxer unleashed a storm of punches in the final round.
UsageSay a storm of punches or stones.
Similarbarrage, hail, shower, volley, torrent
Note
- 9
- 10To shout at someone or speak in a very angry way.
Like thunder and wind, but it is a person shouting in anger.
He stormed and shouted until everyone left the room.
He tends to storm at his little sister when he loses a game.
UsageOften used with at or against: storm at someone.
Similarrage, rant, rail, thunder, shout
Note
- 11
- 12Short for storm window. It is the extra outside window that keeps cold out in winter.
Dad put a storm on every window before the snow came.
We take the storms down each spring.
UsageSay storm windows unless you are already talking about windows.
Note
- 13A sudden, strong burst of pain, illness, or body reactions.
Like a sudden burst of bad weather happening inside the body.
A storm of coughing left her gasping for air.
The fever brought on a storm of aches and chills.
UsageOften in cytokine storm or a storm of coughing.
Similarsurge, paroxysm, cascade, burst
Note
- 14A very strong wind, stronger than a gale but not as strong as a hurricane.
Like wind strong enough to push you backward and snap tree branches.
By morning the gale had become a storm, but not yet a hurricane.
Winds reached storm strength by midnight, tearing branches from the trees.
Note
- 15To upset or stir up someone or something strongly, making them troubled or rough.
Meantime, our simulated thunderclaps / Which tell us counterfeited truths—these same / Are—sound, when music storms the soul, perhaps?
1878, Robert Browning, “The Two Poets of Croisic” - 16To be left out in cold, rough weather.
- 17To rush to finish a backlog of work by making a huge, fast effort.
- 18To stack cut hay into small piles to keep it safe from bad weather.
Showing meanings only.
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Origins
From Old English storm, meaning a tempest or attack. It goes back to old Germanic and Indo-European roots meaning to stir up, and is related to 'stir'.
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
- The noun comes from Old English storm, meaning a tempest or attack. en.wiktionary.org
- The word has Germanic ancestry and ultimately an Indo-European root meaning to stir up. en.wiktionary.org
- Storm is etymologically related to stir. en.wiktionary.org
The verb comes from Middle English stormen, meaning to blow violently, formed from the noun 'storm' plus a verb ending.
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
- The verb derives from Middle English stormen. en.wiktionary.org
- Middle English stormen meant to blow violently. en.wiktionary.org
- Stormen was formed from the noun storm plus the verb infinitive ending -en. en.wiktionary.org