Synonyms

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

From Barron's • Nov. 29, 2025

However, the vast majority of tropical storm and hurricane activity typically occurs during the August-October period, which is considered to be the peak.

From BBC • Nov. 29, 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

One summer in the late 1970s, long before Roy Eberhardt was born, a small but powerful tropical storm boiled out of the Gulf of Mexico and came ashore a few miles south of Coconut Cove.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen

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