blustery
Americanadjective
-
characterized by strong, gusty wind.
It's a blustery day, with a stiff westerly whipping across the valley keeping the temperature on the cool side.
-
full of bravado and empty boasts, threats, or protests.
Without these two arrogant, blustery leaders, the two sides would likely have solved their problems and worked things out.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of blustery
Explanation
Use the adjective blustery to describe weather that brings extremely strong gusts of wind. It's much easier to fly a kite on a blustery day than when there's no wind at all. While this word is frequently used for weather — think blustery October days with leaves blowing and people clutching their hats — it can also describe people who act aggressively or confidently but don't follow through. All that blustery talk about your football team's superiority won't mean a thing when they lose badly yet again. The source of blustery is the noun bluster, "loud or indignant talk with little effect," from a Germanic root meaning "blow violently."
Vocabulary lists containing blustery
Coraline
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Blind Side
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The War That Saved My Life
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Confining a world-famous pop star to a blustery old house in the English countryside for the entirety of a film seems inharmonious.
From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026
Yellow wind warnings covering Scotland, north-west wales and parts of northern England, which saw blustery conditions on Saturday and overnight, were lifted on Sunday morning.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026
Through the day there will be a mix of sunny spells with blustery showers - with hail and thunder also possible.
From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026
Sometimes the blustery weather can distract play, as a takeaway food bag blowing onto the main stadium court during Grigor Dimitrov’s first-round victory against Terence Atmane did on Thursday.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2026
She’s wearing an orange tie-dye hippie dress and her blustery black hair’s blowing into her face.
From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
