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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The actress explains that after all that commotion, her son refused to walk home with shoes on.—
Anna Halkidis,
Parents,
23 Apr. 2025
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The man identified by authorities as Mutu is seen grabbing the girl’s arms and forcing them to her sides as neighbors responded to the commotion and confronted him.—
Diego Mendoza and Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The storms are foreseen to bring wind gusts of up to 40 mph and marble-sized hail (0.5 inches).—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Residents may experience wind gusts of up to 40 mph.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Summary Several supplements may help with perimenopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbance, depression, anxiety, stress, bone density loss, and more.—
Sohaib Imtiaz,
Verywell Health,
17 Apr. 2025
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According to police, Levy started the disturbance inside Baires Grill, the Miami Herald reported.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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What’s 42 to 43? Into a black place of great blows from the little mountains from the sea came.—
John Berryman,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
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With a blow of his whistle, all sorts of words applied: pandemonium, euphoria, mania.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This case is still causing a stir in international law, with people discussing expropriation and investor rights—issues that the Russian elite relegated to afterthoughts to protect political concerns.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
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Trump created a new stir on a related matter at Monday’s meeting.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Another can't-miss find: The Short-sleeve Pose Mock Neck makes layering a breeze and pairs with everything from jeans to midi skirts.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Think soft-close lids, built-in charcoal filters, and removable liners that make dumping kitchen scraps a breeze.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In a hurry, Mr. Trump is now considering firing Mr. Powell.—
Laurent Belsie,
Christian Science Monitor,
21 Apr. 2025
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But that money ran out in a hurry, state records show, with the majority of it, 67%, going to ranchers whose wolves were killed by the Whaleback pack.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 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 2 May. 2025.
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