tropical storm

American

noun

Meteorology.

a tropical cyclone of less than hurricane force.

tropical storm Scientific

A tropical cyclone having sustained surface winds between 39 and 73 mi (63 and 118 km) per hour.
See Note at cyclone

Etymology

Origin of tropical storm

First recorded in 1940–45

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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.

In August 1977, humidity and heat from a tropical storm was blamed for killing 725 dairy cows in Chino.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026

A New York Times article in October highlighted hurricanes “turning away from the East Coast,” noting 12 named storms so far but only one minor tropical storm brushing the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025

A tropical storm has exacerbated conditions, and the tolls in Indonesia and Thailand rank among the highest in floods in those countries in recent years.

From Barron's • Nov. 30, 2025

The same weather system that passed through Indonesia, now downgraded from a tropical storm to a depression, made landfall early on Friday morning, dumping more rain on the already-sodden region.

From Barron's • Nov. 28, 2025

In the fall of 1954 a tropical storm played its part in the fortunes of the Miramichi salmon.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

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