1
as in storms
a disturbance of the atmosphere accompanied by wind and often by precipitation (as rain or snow)
a snow squall is expected tonight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in commotions
a state of noisy, confused activity
the annual squall created when the store holds its biggest sale of the year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in shrieks
to cry out loudly and emotionally
the baby squalled in pain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of squalls
Bill Kelly, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
Snow squalls are intense winter weather events often associated with strong cold fronts.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2026
Winter weather is firmly in place across South Dakota, where heavy snow squalls can create sharp differences in accumulation.
—Brandi D. Addison, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 16 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls can develop rapidly and will be scattered across the state.
—Cooper Worth, Des Moines Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls could cause sudden whiteout conditions on interstates between the Great Lakes and Appalachians.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Bill Kelly, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Unlike longer-lasting snowstorms, squalls move fast and can catch drivers off guard, especially when roads appear mostly clear just moments before conditions deteriorate.
—Brandi D. Addison, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 13 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls in the Detroit area caused a number of car crashes on Interstate 75 on Monday, prompting the Michigan State Police to close the northbound highway and causing major backups for travelers.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 29 Dec. 2025
The surges of Arctic air will generate rounds of flurries and squalls in certain locations and may assist igniting storms with more widespread snow.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 3 Dec. 2025
Noun
Snow squalls can come up on drivers suddenly and can lead to near-zero visibility within minutes.
—Bill Kelly, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
Snow squalls are intense winter weather events often associated with strong cold fronts.
—Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2026
Winter weather is firmly in place across South Dakota, where heavy snow squalls can create sharp differences in accumulation.
—Brandi D. Addison, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 16 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls can develop rapidly and will be scattered across the state.
—Cooper Worth, Des Moines Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls could cause sudden whiteout conditions on interstates between the Great Lakes and Appalachians.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
Verb
The workweek is followed by an Arctic cold front with snow showers and squalls likely late Friday before the bottom falls out once again, which brings us to the weekend.
—Bill Kelly, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Unlike longer-lasting snowstorms, squalls move fast and can catch drivers off guard, especially when roads appear mostly clear just moments before conditions deteriorate.
—Brandi D. Addison, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, 13 Jan. 2026
Snow squalls in the Detroit area caused a number of car crashes on Interstate 75 on Monday, prompting the Michigan State Police to close the northbound highway and causing major backups for travelers.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 29 Dec. 2025
The surges of Arctic air will generate rounds of flurries and squalls in certain locations and may assist igniting storms with more widespread snow.
—Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 3 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for squalls
Noun
-
In 2020 and 2021, storms hit the Powers’ Yukon home.—
J.C. Hallman,
Oklahoman,
10 Feb. 2026
-
With these statistical corrections, researchers can more accurately predict how energy behaves in chaotic environments, such as during the formation of severe storms.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
McEntire shrieks between laughs, gesturing to the photographer.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Mexico expects millions of international visitors during the World Cup, raising concerns around crowd control, unauthorized drone activity, and rapid response to disturbances.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
-
They’ve been known to cause electromagnetic disturbances on the earth, such as with radio and satellite communications and power line transmissions.—
Mary Wasson,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
At bars across the United States, live watch parties were packed, squeals resounding.—
Faith Hill,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Trains are drowning out the coach’s voice, the wind squeals in my hearing aids.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
On paper, Proctor screams Eagles.—
Zach Berman,
New York Times,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Vonn lost control within moments of leaving the start house, clipping a gate with her right shoulder and pinwheeling down the slope before ending up awkwardly on her back, her skis crisscrossed below her and her screams ringing out soon after medical personnel arrived.—
ANDREW DAMPF,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But even those noises faded into nothing once the wooden shutters were closed at turndown, and the soft whir of the air conditioning took over.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
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The noises also changed each night, meaning participants consistently slept under different conditions.—
Kaan Ozcan,
NBC news,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
About two couples, connected and dependent on one another, raising their kids alongside each other, facing the same turmoils, the same existential questions.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Mayer and Strong offer a broad pop-history lesson, in which the same tensions and turmoils churn on and on in their terrible cycle throughout the decades; the only thing that’s changed are the aesthetics.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Noun
-
Drink specials include $6 Lagunitas, $10 hurricanes and $30 Surfside buckets.—
Samantha Nelson,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Many of his song lyrics criticize the ineffective response by the government in Puerto Rico to crises like the hurricanes that have pummeled the island and caused island-wide blackouts in recent years.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Squalls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/squalls. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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