1
: wave
especially
: a great wave or surge of water
the rolling billows of the sea
2
: a rolling mass (as of flame or smoke) that resembles a high wave
Billows of smoke poured out of the building.
billows of fog
billowed; billowing; billows
1
: to rise or roll in waves or surges
the billowing sea
2
: to bulge or swell out (as through action of the wind)
billowing clouds
… the flags … billowed out in pride …—
G. B. Oxnam
G. B. Oxnam
: to cause to billow
… a field of burning grass billowing thick black clouds of smoke into the sky.—Donald Windham
Donald WindhamExamples of billow in a Sentence
Noun
Billows of smoke poured out of the burning building.
the rolling billows of the sea
Verb
the curtains in the open windows billowed in the summer wind
Recent Examples on the Web
Wendy O'Dea, Robb Report, 28 Dec. 2025
Prayer mats lie next to heavy artillery; smoke billows from parked whips; backstabbers get cut first.
—Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2025
Gul Tuysuz, CNN Money, 29 Dec. 2025
As crews finish cleaning up the scene from earlier, video obtained by CBS News Miami showed smoke billowing out of the back of the vessel, where firefighters had to keep a steady downpour on it, bringing hose lines onto the docks near 300 Alton Rd.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for billow
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Noun
By night, fires dot the serene landscape and smoke billows from chimneys as guests sip cocktails and cocoa or take a sleigh ride over powdery, sparkling snow.
—Wendy O'Dea, Robb Report, 28 Dec. 2025
Prayer mats lie next to heavy artillery; smoke billows from parked whips; backstabbers get cut first.
—Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2025
Verb
Footage shot later showed smoke billowing from the area of the raid and fire trucks racing to the scene.
—Gul Tuysuz, CNN Money, 29 Dec. 2025
As crews finish cleaning up the scene from earlier, video obtained by CBS News Miami showed smoke billowing out of the back of the vessel, where firefighters had to keep a steady downpour on it, bringing hose lines onto the docks near 300 Alton Rd.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for billow
Cite this Entry
“Billow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/billow. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
billow
1 of 2 noun
bil·low
ˈbil-ō 
1
: wave entry 2 sense 1
especially
: a large wave
2
: a rolling mass like a high wave
billows of smoke
billow
2 of 2 verb1
: to rise or roll in waves
the billowing ocean
2
: to bulge or swell out
sails billowing in the breeze
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