1
as in commotion
a state of noisy, confused activity
the surprise verdict of the jury created a wild williwaw as reporters rushed to file their stories
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gust
a sudden brief rush of wind
a williwaw rose up seemingly out of nowhere and wreaked havoc with our campsite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of williwaw
The williwaw, a gale-force wind that came rolling down the mountain gathering speed, was depicted as a whorled cloud.
—
Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Sep. 2022
The dominant use of williwaw throughout the 19th century was in relation to storms around Cape Horn, including the Straits of Magellan.
—David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Sep. 2022
The williwaw gusts swirled thick fog among transport ships off Attu Island, and the waiting infantrymen nervously mulled the name of their landing site: Massacre Bay.
—Alex Horton, Washington Post, 24 May 2018
Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Sep. 2022
The dominant use of williwaw throughout the 19th century was in relation to storms around Cape Horn, including the Straits of Magellan.
—David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Sep. 2022
The williwaw gusts swirled thick fog among transport ships off Attu Island, and the waiting infantrymen nervously mulled the name of their landing site: Massacre Bay.
—Alex Horton, Washington Post, 24 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for williwaw
Noun
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Bass won’t hang around with that kind of commotion going on.—
Ted Janes,
Outdoor Life,
29 May 2025
-
Moments after Tommy left the theater to start packing, Ellie and Jesse heard a commotion in the lobby.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
25 May 2025
Noun
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The storms are packing pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) and wind gusts of up to 30 mph.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2025
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Wind gusts of up to 70 mph and quarter-sized hail (1 inch) are expected.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 June 2025
Noun
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Additionally, those with restrictive calorie diets reported higher numbers of depressive symptoms, including low mood, low energy and sleep disturbances.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
5 June 2025
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Even minor environmental disturbances can attract intense scrutiny and provoke strong reactions, making the industry more susceptible to reputational damage than many others.—
Anthony Milewski,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Khan feared that delaying his departure beyond the deadline might have resulted in his wife and children being hauled off to a police station along with him, which would have been a blow to his family’s dignity.—
Elena Becatoros,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2025
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The strikes were also a major blow to Iran’s chain of command, killing the nation’s top generals.—
Martín González Gómez,
New York Times,
13 June 2025
Noun
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Nintendo caused a slight stir after the Switch 2 reveal.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
5 June 2025
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From the first chop to the final stir, Wendy and her mother serve up more than just a traditional Igbo recipe.—
Essence,
Essence,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Keeping SailGP’s identical F50 catamarans, which compete head-to-head, in stable flight is hard enough on an open track, so trying to achieve constant foiling as the breeze swirls off the streets of Manhattan is much more difficult.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
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Keep reading for more pots and planter boxes on sale at Wayfair to make gardening a breeze.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Though Clark may be out, the Fever still have a talented squad that can put up buckets in a hurry.—
Devin Robertson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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Rafael Nadal was a tennis warrior, to be sure: a competitive beast dripping with sweat and relentless in-the-moment ambition who could give the opposition a faraway gaze in a hurry.—
Christopher Clarey,
Air Mail,
24 May 2025
Noun
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Winners that scud through the court from all directions.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
The Athletic,
17 Feb. 2025
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Their optimism regarding the possible Iranian retaliation would be based on the history of Israeli resilience in the face of Iraq's scud attacks in 1991, and Hamas' and Hezbollah's rocket strikes.—
Dmitry Adamsky,
Foreign Affairs,
20 Feb. 2011
Cite this Entry
“Williwaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/williwaw. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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