perfect storm

American  

noun

1. Meteorology. a very intense and powerful storm arising from the convergence of an unusual set of weather patterns.

   A dying Hurricane Grace delivered the immeasurable tropical energy needed to create the perfect storm.

2. a detrimental or calamitous situation or event arising from the powerful combined effect of a unique set of circumstances.

   a perfect storm battering corporate pension plans.

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perfect storm British  

noun

1. a combination of events which are not individually dangerous, but occurring together produce a disastrous outcome

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Etymology

Origin of perfect storm

First recorded in 1935–40 in meteorological sense; in 1997 for current sense, from The Perfect Storm, a nonfiction book by Sebastian Junger, U.S. journalist and author (born 1962)

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

perfect storm

Longer repayments -- coupled with higher bills and stagnant wages -- have created the perfect storm for many families.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

The roughly $30 trillion Treasury market — widely seen as the bedrock of the global financial system — is facing a dangerous reckoning driven by a perfect storm of rising risks.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026

This is the highest-level fire warning, signifying that the elements are in place for a perfect storm — with strong, gusty winds, low humidity and dry fuels capable of creating a raging wildfire.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

“It’s a perfect storm of post-pandemic burnout and a re-evaluation of one’s priorities, and also booming AI and a sense of what’s possible,” said Samir Ahmad, 39, who lives in Breinigsville, Pa.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

The answer, as historians tell us, has to do with a perfect storm of place, time, personality, and luck: but it also has to do with his brilliance as an orator.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith