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Synonyms

dust storm

American  
[duhst stawrm] / ˈdʌst ˌstɔrm /
Or duststorm

noun

Meteorology.

  1. an occurrence of strong winds permeating the air with fine particles of dust over an extensive area of normally arable land during a period of drought.

    It was a time of danger and despair on the prairie, with one dust storm after another.
dust storm British  

noun

  1. a windstorm that whips up clouds of dust

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of dust storm

First recorded in 1875–80

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.

And as Burning Man kicked off in Nevada’s desert northwest, a major dust storm forced traffic to a halt as attendees tried to avoid the desert’s wrath.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 25, 2025

She recalls using earth observation data provided by Eumetsat, a European satellite agency, to monitor a major dust storm in March.

From BBC • Oct. 14, 2024

Over the weekend, Musk said changes are being made at the launch pad to avoid what he called a dust storm and “rock tornado” at the next launch.

From Seattle Times • May 1, 2023

Combination of newly plowed fields & gusty northwest winds is generating a dust storm in this area.

From Washington Post • May 1, 2023

The only explanation for asymmetrical visibility is a dust storm.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

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.