perfect storm
Americannoun
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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.
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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.
noun
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This policy change, along with rising insurance premiums, aging buildings and inflated construction costs, has created a perfect storm that’s pushing condo boards to hike these ancillary fees.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 7, 2026
Venues in the capital face a perfect storm of rising costs, strict noise regulations and early curfews.
From BBC • Jun. 25, 2026
May delivered another surprisingly strong month for wholesale inflation, increasing the likelihood of a Fed interest rate hike, and potentially creating a perfect storm for consumers.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
“It’s a perfect storm to get these older people to trust the process,” Werning says.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 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
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.
