hurricane

1 of 2

noun

hur·​ri·​cane ˈhər-ə-ˌkān 

-i-kən,

ˈhə-rə-,

ˈhə-ri-

1

: a tropical cyclone with winds of 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour or greater that is usually accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning, and that sometimes moves into temperate latitudes

Note: Hurricane has traditionally been used especially when naming or referring to storms occurring in the western Atlantic; it is used for storms in the northeastern Pacific as well.

The people who bought homes there would never find out the truth, unless a hurricane came and blew off their roofs and knocked down their walls.

—Carl Hiassen

A few days after Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans, a small group of strangers on bicycles showed up in the Algiers neighborhood, knocking on doors and asking if anyone needed medical attention.

—Tim Shorrock

The most recent system was Hurricane Erick, which charged towards Hawaii with winds topping 130mph as a category four system.

—Katie Sewell

compare typhoon see Beaufort Scale Table

2

: something resembling a hurricane especially in its turmoil

a rushing hurricane of blows struck him as he stood up

—Donn Byrne

hurricane

2 of 2

adjective

: having or being a glass chimney (see chimney sense 4) providing protection from wind

a hurricane lamp

Synonyms

Noun

• ado
• alarums and excursions
• ballyhoo
• blather
• bluster
• bobbery
• bother
• bustle
• clatter
• clutter [chiefly dialect]
• coil
• commotion
• corroboree [Australian]
• disturbance
• do [chiefly dialect]
• foofaraw
• fun
• furor
• furore
• fuss
• helter-skelter
• hoo-ha
• hoo-hah
• hoopla
• hubble-bubble
• hubbub
• hullabaloo
• hurly
• hurly-burly
• hurry
• hurry-scurry
• hurry-skurry
• kerfuffle [chiefly British]
• moil
• pandemonium
• pother
• row
• ruckus
• ruction
• rumpus
• shindy
• splore [Scottish]
• squall
• stew
• stir
• storm
• to-do
• tumult
• turmoil
• uproar
• welter
• whirl
• williwaw
• zoo

Examples of hurricane in a Sentence

Noun

economic news that unleashed a hurricane on the trading floor

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The hurricanes left over 200 people dead in their wake, including in North Carolina and Georgia, and many structures destroyed. —Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 10 Nov. 2024

The two hurricanes were among the most destructive in recent memory. —Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024

Adjective

Lee County health officials earlier this month warned people that the post-hurricane environment – including warm, standing water – could pose a danger from the potentially deadly bacteria. —From Usa Today Network and Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 20 Oct. 2022

The rocket, known as the Space Launch System and standing 322 feet tall with its payload on top, appears to be pretty hurricane resistant. —Kenneth Chang, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Nov. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Spanish huracán, from Taino hurakán

First Known Use

Noun

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1894, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

hurricane

noun

hur·​ri·​cane

ˈhər-ə-ˌkān,

-i-kən,

ˈhə-rə-,

ˈhə-ri-

: a cyclone formed in the tropics with winds of 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour or greater that is usually accompanied by rain, thunder, and lightning