gale

noun

ˈgāl 

1

a

: a strong current of air:

(1)

: a wind from 32 to 63 miles per hour (about 51 to 102 kilometers per hour)

(2)

: fresh gale see Beaufort Scale Table

b

archaic : breeze

2

: an emotional outburst

gales of laughter

Synonyms

• agony
• blaze
• burst
• ebullition
• eruption
• explosion
• fit
• flare
• flare-up
• flash
• flush
• gush
• gust
• outburst
• paroxysm
• spasm
• storm

Examples of gale in a Sentence

The boat was damaged in a strong gale.

The winds approached gale force.

The audience erupted in gales of laughter.

Recent Examples on the Web

The National Weather Service has issued a gale warning and high surf advisory across the coast in Northern California, calling the ocean conditions hazardous, especially for inexperienced mariners and those operating small vessels. —Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024

The Port of Palm Beach switched from port condition Yankee to port condition Zulu at 6 p.m. Tuesday, meaning sustained gale force winds are expected to arrive within 12 hours. —David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 9 Oct. 2024

Slowly the mystical land enters her inner world and – one day at a time – Rona finds hope and strength in herself among the heavy gales and the bracingly cold sea. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2024

Large portions of Northern California are under a red flag warning due to dangerous fire weather, including buffeting gales and low humidity, according to National Weather Service’s station in Sacramento. —Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 18 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

of obscure origin

First Known Use

circa 1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing gale

• fresh gale
• moderate gale
• near gale
• strong gale
• whole gale

Kids Definition

gale

noun

ˈgā(ə)l 

1

: a strong current of air

especially : a wind of from 32 to 63 miles (about 51 to 101 kilometers) per hour

2

: an emotional outburst

gales of laughter

Biographical Definition

Gale

biographical name

ˈgāl 

Zona 1874–1938 American novelist