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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.

In Kansas, at least eight people died after more than 55 vehicles crashed due to a dust storm.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2025

But just when we thought we’d skirted yet another meteorological event, a white-out dust storm darkened the once-blue sky on Sunday, Sept. 1 — Burning Man’s last day.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2024

On Saturday, under a cloud-dotted blue sky and before a dust storm rolled in, he spoke of the lack of shade at Silvestre Jr.’s elementary school.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 2, 2024

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

From Washington Post • May 1, 2023

She shielded her eyes from the dust storm, searching for an escape route.

From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld

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.