snowstorm
Americannoun
-
snowstorms
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of snowstorm
Explanation
A snowstorm is a disturbed weather event that leads to a whole lot of white, frozen precipitation. If there's a snowstorm in the forecast, you may want to reschedule your picnic! Among all the various kinds of storms — including windstorms, rainstorms, and hailstorms — only a snowstorm has the potential to bury your car under a fluffy pile of snow. If it gets windy enough, a snowstorm can become a blizzard, dumping so much blowing snow that you can't see through it. Snowstorm merges snow and storm, which comes from a root word that means "to whirl or turn."
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.
See Examples For:
Perhaps you blow a tire while driving through a sudden snowstorm, with help several hours away.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
A team that plays in an enclosed stadium never has to worry about a snowstorm neutralizing its passing game.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
This week saw an epic snowstorm on the East Coast, and in New York City, an epic snowball battle royale in Washington Square Park immediately followed.
From Slate ● Feb. 28, 2026
Video taken Monday afternoon in Washington Square Park shows a snowball fight following an epic snowstorm devolving into some parkgoers apparently targeting police with snowballs.
From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2026
The historic snowstorm of the Kennedy inauguration caused endless trouble.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
Throughout its long life, the tree had survived fires, winds and snowstorms and more recently, the extreme weather that comes with climate change.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
In January, the American Red Cross declared a blood emergency after the national supply fell 35 percent that month, due to interruptions to blood drives caused by snowstorms and a nationwide flu outbreak.
From Slate ● May 9, 2026
U.S. airlines are likely to face a brutal test over the weekend as snowstorms and arctic air predicted to blanket large swaths of the U.S. will begin to impact their operations as early as Friday.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 22, 2026
Holiday snowstorms across large swaths of the U.S. caused a flurry of cancellations ahead of the New Year—just in time for the year-end travel rush.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026
“The snowstorms in Siberia are treacherous,” said Mrs. Rimas, nodding.
From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys
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.
