perfect storm

noun

: a critical or disastrous situation created by a powerful concurrence of factors

Examples of perfect storm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This latest silver price rally, which has pushed the precious metal upward since the start of 2026, has been fueled by a perfect storm of industrial demand, persistent supply deficits and safe-haven buying amid geopolitical tensions. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026

Null said Sacramento’s early fall weather patterns caused a perfect storm for a particularly heavy fog year. —Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 21 Jan. 2026

His previous complaints are warranted, and Palace’s 2-0 defeat at Newcastle United on Sunday was another example of the problems caused by a perfect storm of a lack of depth and a relentless schedule denying them an opportunity to rectify familiar failings with work on the training pitch. —Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026

And in Orange County, where commercial rent premiums and labor competition are fierce, operators faced a perfect storm of inflationary economic pressures. —Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 30 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1998, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for perfect storm

• chloroform
• coliform
• cribriform
• cruciform
• filiform
• fusiform
• isoform
• microform
• multiform
• multiforme
• outperform
• piriform