superstorm

American

[soo-per-stawrm] / ˈsu pərˌstɔrm /

noun

a very severe and widespread storm characterized by record-setting meteorological events and large-scale destruction.

The superstorm brought a 15-foot storm surge to the harbor.

superstorm British

/ ˈsuːpəˌstɔːm /

noun

an extremely powerful storm that causes widespread devastation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of superstorm

1955–60; super (adj.) + storm

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.

During superstorm Sandy in 2012, a tree fell onto the house, but the structure remained intact.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

During the May 2024 superstorm, it happened to be in an ideal position to record the severe compression of the plasmasphere and the long, slow recovery that followed.

From Science Daily • Nov. 23, 2025

The fifth-ranked Washington Huskies are an offensive superstorm that — minus Arizona State last Saturday — has demolished everything in its wake.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 26, 2023

But the boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, where the superstorm hit communities hardest, have not received the same support.

From Salon • May 26, 2023

The superstorm that Californians have long feared will very likely take shape one winter in the Pacific, near Hawaii.

From New York Times • Aug. 15, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023