storm

The word “storm” means a period of violent weather with strong winds and often rain, thunder, or snow. In plain terms, violent weather, or (figuratively) a sudden burst of anger, activity, or force.

“Storm” is pronounced stawm (/stɔɹm/ in IPA).

Here is “storm” used in a sentence: “A storm knocked out power across half the city.”

Words with a similar meaning to “storm” include procelle.

Depending on how it is used, “storm” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “storm” comes from Old English. From Old English storm, an ancient Germanic word related to Dutch storm and German Sturm.

“Storm” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Storm” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a period of violent weather with strong winds and often rain, thunder, or snow.

A storm is any spell of violent weather with strong winds and often rain, thunder, or snow. A hurricane is a specific, very large and powerful storm: a rotating system that forms over warm oceans with sustained winds above 74 mph. Every hurricane is a storm, but most storms are far smaller and milder.

Storms come in many forms: thunderstorms with lightning, rainstorms and downpours, snowstorms and blizzards, windstorms and gales, hailstorms, and dust or sandstorms. The largest and most violent include hurricanes, cyclones, and tornadoes. What they share is a burst of intense, disruptive weather, though the main ingredient — wind, rain, snow, or dust — varies.

The two mean much the same thing: a period of violent weather. 'Storm' is the everyday word, while 'tempest' is more literary and dramatic, suggesting an especially fierce storm. You will meet 'tempest' more often in poetry, older writing, and figurative phrases than in a modern weather forecast.