Did you know?
The earliest recorded appearance of the word blizzard meaning “a severe snowstorm” was in the April 23, 1870 issue of a newspaper published in Estherville, Iowa. Blizzard shows up again during the following years in several newspapers in Iowa and neighboring states, and by 1888, when a snowstorm paralyzed the Eastern seaboard, the word was well-known nationally. However, in other senses, the word blizzard existed earlier. Davy Crockett, for instance, used it twice in the 1830s, once to mean a rifle blast and once to refer to a blast of words. All of these uses seem related, but the ultimate origin of the word is still unclear.
Examples of blizzard in a Sentence
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Kimmel was suspended by ABC for about a week last September before a blizzard of objections from viewers helped lead to his reinstatement.
—Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
Dairy Queen also announced that for a limited time, fans who buy one blizzard can get another for less than a dollar.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
As the investigation into 14-year-old McKenna Wendel’s death continues, law enforcement confirmed this week that the blizzard-like conditions March 14-15 has not affected the case.
—Angela George, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blizzard
Cite this Entry
“Blizzard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blizzard. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
blizzard
noun
