weather
Americannoun
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weather
plural
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the state of the atmosphere with respect to wind, temperature, cloudiness, moisture, pressure, etc.
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a strong wind or storm or strong winds and storms collectively.
We've had some real weather this spring.
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a weathercast.
The radio announcer will read the weather right after the commercial.
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Usually weathers. changes or vicissitudes in one's lot or fortunes.
She remained a good friend in all weathers.
verb (used with object)
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weathers,
present (3rd person singular)
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weathered,
past participle, past
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weathering
present participle
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to expose to the weather; dry, season, or otherwise affect by exposure to the air or atmosphere.
to weather lumber before marketing it.
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to discolor, disintegrate, or affect injuriously, as by the effects of weather.
These crumbling stones have been weathered by the centuries.
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to bear up against and come safely through (a storm, danger, trouble, etc.).
to weather a severe illness.
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Nautical. (of a ship, mariner, etc.) to pass or sail to the windward of.
to weather a cape.
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Architecture. to cause to slope, so as to shed water.
verb (used without object)
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weathers,
present (3rd person singular)
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weathered,
past participle, past
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weathering
present participle
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to undergo change, especially discoloration or disintegration, as the result of exposure to atmospheric conditions.
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to endure or resist exposure to the weather.
a coat that weathers well.
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to go or come safely through a storm, danger, trouble, etc. (usually followed bythrough ).
It was a difficult time for her, but she weathered through beautifully.
idioms
noun
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the day-to-day meteorological conditions, esp temperature, cloudiness, and rainfall, affecting a specific place Compare climate
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(modifier) relating to the forecasting of weather
a weather ship
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a prevailing state or condition
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(of a vessel) to roll and pitch in heavy seas
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(foll by of) to carry out with great difficulty or unnecessarily great effort
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informal
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not in good health
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intoxicated
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adjective
verb
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to expose or be exposed to the action of the weather
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to undergo or cause to undergo changes, such as discoloration, due to the action of the weather
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(intr) to withstand the action of the weather
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to endure (a crisis, danger, etc)
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(tr) to slope (a surface, such as a roof, sill, etc) so as to throw rainwater clear
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(tr) to sail to the windward of
to weather a point
Usage
What’s the difference between weather and climate? Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions—the temperature and precipitation on a certain day, for example. Climate refers to the average atmospheric conditions that prevail in a given region over a long period of time—whether a place is generally cold and wet or hot and dry, for example. It can also refer to the region or area that has a particular climate. Weather can also be a verb, meaning to expose something to harsh conditions (such as by placing it outside, in the weather), often in order to change it in some way, as in We need to weather this leather to soften it. It can also mean to endure a storm or, more metaphorically, a negative or dangerous situation, as in We will simply have to weather the recession. As nouns, both weather and climate can be used figuratively to refer to the general (nonliteral) atmosphere of a place or situation, as in phrases like political climate and fair-weather friend. In scientific terms, both weather and climate are about atmospheric conditions like temperature, precipitation, and other factors. But they differ in scale. Weather involves the atmospheric conditions and changes we experience in the short term, on a daily basis. Rain today, sun tomorrow, and snow next month—that’s weather. Climate involves average atmospheric conditions in a particular place over a long period of time (this is often understood to mean 30 years or more). Is the place where you live consistently rainy and cool? Is it always 72 degrees and sunny? That’s climate. So, when you’re making small talk about whether it’s rainy or sunny that day, you’re discussing the weather. If you’re complaining that it’s always way too hot where you live, all year round, you’re discussing your regional climate. Changes to climate—even an average temperature rise of a few degrees—can alter the weather patterns that we’re accustomed to. More extreme and more frequent storms, floods, and droughts are some examples of weather events that are being fueled by a warming of the climate. Here’s an example of weather and climate used correctly in a sentence. Example: When you live in an extremely dry climate, a rare day of rainy weather is thrilling. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between weather and climate.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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weathersimple
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weatherssimple
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have weatheredperfect
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has weatheredperfect
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am weatheringprogressive
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are weatheringprogressive
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is weatheringprogressive
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have been weatheringperfect progressive
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has been weatheringperfect progressive
Past
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weatheredsimple
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had weatheredperfect
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was weatheringprogressive
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were weatheringprogressive
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had been weatheringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of weather
First recorded before 900; Middle English (noun), Old English weder; cognate with Dutch weder, German Wetter, Old Norse vethr
Explanation
Weather is the atmospheric conditions, including the temperature, wind, snow, rain, or anything else happening outside. People tend to talk about the weather when they can't think of anything else to talk about. In some places, people say, "Don't like the weather? Wait an hour and it'll change." Every day, experts try to predict the weather, but they never get it exactly right. You can also use weather to mean "endure something," as in "I weathered the storm at work." That's not a real storm, but a stormy situation. Even though the weather drives us all crazy at times, at least it gives us something to blab about.
Vocabulary lists containing weather
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Two-Faced Words: Contronyms
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Physical Geography - Introductory
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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.
See Examples For:
The world's oceans are hotter than ever recorded, new data suggests, as they suffer from human-caused climate change and the growing El Niño weather phenomenon.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
U.S. natural gas futures settled higher, rising for a second week in a row thanks to hot summer weather driving electricity-sector use to meet air conditioning demand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Watch: How does El Niño affect world weather?
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
“Overall, weather patterns are viewed as bullish the front 10 days, but then closer to seasonal for the 11-15 day period,” NatGasWeather.com says in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Though there is still a raft of floating logs that moves from one side of the lake to the other as weather and wind push it, fish have returned to Spirit Lake as well.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
The Moon routinely weathers impact from space debris including meteoroids.
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
They typically have longer ranges than bullets and work in all weathers, unlike interceptor drones.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026
Michael Cullen went from sleeping rough in Liverpool to raising £1m by doing charity walks in all weathers in just his swimming trunks.
From BBC ● May 30, 2025
The people who work in governmental institutions — and therefore the institutions themselves—are rather like the ballast that keeps a ship upright and balanced in different weathers.
From Salon ● Dec. 8, 2024
As I have said, all weathers delighted Phineas.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
“He not only weathered the storm,” Fader said, “but came out shining.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
The collision blasted this weathered material from as deep as 1.5 feet beneath the lunar surface.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
In the rectory dining room before the vigil, the burly 85-year-old priest said he wasn’t fazed that his working-class parish has weathered so much since arriving in 1983.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
Her departure is the latest in a string of senior leadership changes at OpenAI, which has weathered significant executive turnover in recent years and has filed for a high-stakes IPO.
From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026
In front of it was a weathered wooden bench.
From "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman
Bites often leave punctures or furrows in bone, but disease, insects, weathering, and erosion can create similar features.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 5, 2026
France is weathering a third heatwave in less than three months, with fires raging in several parts of the country over the past week.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
That shift in perspective comes after weathering some brutal setbacks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
The researchers emphasize that rock weathering should not be viewed as a simple or permanent solution to climate change.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 20, 2026
There, hundreds and hundreds of fossil bones were to be found weathering out of the hills.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
