tornado
noun
tor·na·do
tȯr-ˈnā-(ˌ)dō 
plural tornadoes or tornados
1
a
: a violent destructive whirling wind accompanied by a funnel-shaped cloud that progresses in a narrow path over the land
b
: a squall accompanying a thunderstorm in Africa
2
: a violent windstorm : whirlwind
3
archaic
: a tropical thunderstorm
Examples of tornado in a Sentence
in the path of a tornado
Recent Examples on the Web
The federal agency has yet to disclose further details about the tornadoes.
—
Nick Lentz, CBS News, 14 June 2026
Stay tuned to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio for continuous updates on tornado watches and warnings.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 14 June 2026
Marsha Smith was in her apartment building in Merrillville, about 33 miles southeast of Chicago, when the tornado struck the complex, tearing roofs off three buildings, knocking down trees and breaking car windshields before heavy rain caused more damage to the homes.
—Dave Collins, Arkansas Online, 13 June 2026
The northwest Indiana town was one of several communities outside Chicago hit by tornadoes Thursday night, which came at the tail end of a two-day bout of severe weather that swept through the Midwest.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tornado
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Nick Lentz, CBS News, 14 June 2026
Stay tuned to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio for continuous updates on tornado watches and warnings.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 14 June 2026
Marsha Smith was in her apartment building in Merrillville, about 33 miles southeast of Chicago, when the tornado struck the complex, tearing roofs off three buildings, knocking down trees and breaking car windshields before heavy rain caused more damage to the homes.
—Dave Collins, Arkansas Online, 13 June 2026
The northwest Indiana town was one of several communities outside Chicago hit by tornadoes Thursday night, which came at the tail end of a two-day bout of severe weather that swept through the Midwest.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tornado
Cite this Entry
“Tornado.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tornado. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tornado
noun
tor·na·do
tȯr-ˈnād-ō
plural tornadoes or tornados
: a violent destructive whirling wind accompanied by a funnel-shaped cloud that moves in a narrow path over the land
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