billow
noun
a great wave or surge of the sea.
was billowing
-
past progressiveof billow.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Before I could take my phone to record the flash was gone and smoke was billowing.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2025
“Thick black smoke was billowing above us, so we laid down on the grass just inside the gate,” Alejandro Peirano, the park’s director, recalled Monday morning.
From New York Times ● Feb. 5, 2024
Fierce flames lit up the night sky overnight, and on Saturday helicopters were seen dropping water on areas close to homes where smoke was billowing into the air.
From Reuters ● Aug. 19, 2023
But a cyclist waiting at a stoplight was overheard saying that traffic was clogged in the area in the morning and smoke was billowing from the bridge.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 13, 2022
Ahead of us it was billowing like waves on the sea.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
