snowstorm
Americannoun
noun
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.
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
Shares of air carriers were losing ground in early Monday trading, as a massive snowstorm forced thousands of flight cancellations and delays, as well as ground stops at multiple airports in the Northeast U.S.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 23, 2026
This is the second major snowstorm of the first-time mayor's administration, coming after 19 people died during a three-week cold snap in January.
From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Sunday ordered the shutdown of the city's entire traffic network for all but emergency travel ahead of a massive snowstorm expected to hit the northeast United States.
From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026
She’s shaking like a mouse in a snowstorm.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
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.
