dust storm

American  

[duhst stawrm] / ˈdʌst ˌstɔrm /

Or duststorm

noun

Meteorology.

• dust storms
  plural

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.

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dust storm British  

noun

1. a windstorm that whips up clouds of dust

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• dust storms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dust storm

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dust storm

As we walked past bustling street markets selling mangoes, clothes, footwear and vegetables to meet siblings Abhishek and Kajal, a dust storm appeared on the horizon.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

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

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

He’d been arrested earlier that year while in charge of another air force regiment, for endangering the life of a top government official by failing to fly with him through a dust storm.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Related Words

• sandstorm