jet stream

noun

: a long narrow meandering current of high-speed winds near the tropopause blowing from a generally westerly direction and often exceeding a speed of 250 miles (402 kilometers) per hour

Examples of jet stream in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The freeze developed as the jet stream dipped sharply south during a strongly negative phase of what's called the Arctic Oscillation. Newsroom Meteorologist, Houston Chronicle, 13 Feb. 2026 As the temperature difference between the Arctic and the areas further south shrinks, the jet stream, which acts as a buffer between them, gets weaker, according to Jennifer Francis of the Woodwell Climate Research Center. N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026 Downstream, though, a large dip in the jet stream, or trough, has dug its claws in, bringing wave after wave of Arctic air southward, along with conditions that are ideal for forming powerful winter storms. Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026 That wobbling can allow Arctic air from the troposphere — or contained within the polar jet stream — to move elsewhere. Brandi D. Addison, Freep.com, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for jet stream

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jet stream was in 1947

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jet stream.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jet%20stream. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

jet stream

noun
: a long narrow wandering current of high-speed winds blowing from a generally westerly direction several miles above the earth's surface

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