cloudburst

noun

cloud·​burst ˈklau̇d-ˌbərst How to pronounce cloudburst (audio)
1
: a sudden copious rainfall
2
: a sudden outpouring : deluge
a cloudburst of anger

Examples of cloudburst in a Sentence

A cloudburst caused the river to flood. the weatherman warned of possible cloudbursts in the afternoon
Recent Examples on the Web And with rising temperatures come rising risks: stronger hurricanes in the Atlantic, more severe cloudbursts in storms across North America, increasing drought in the Great Plains, larger wildfires in the West. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2024 And with the climate’s rising temperature comes rising risks: stronger hurricanes in the Atlantic, more severe cloudbursts in storms across the continent, increasing drought on the Great Plains, larger wildfires in the West. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2024 Homes in some districts were also washed away after a cloudburst — a sudden, very heavy rain — Sunday night, leaving roads flooded and people stranded. Chonchui Ngashangva and Sibi Arasu, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2023 Our hot breaths were like cloudbursts in the thin Andean air. Mark Johanson, Travel + Leisure, 29 July 2023 See all Example Sentences for cloudburst 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cloudburst.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cloudburst was in 1869

Dictionary Entries Near cloudburst

Cite this Entry

“Cloudburst.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cloudburst. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

cloudburst

noun
cloud·​burst ˈklau̇d-ˌbərst How to pronounce cloudburst (audio)
: a sudden heavy rainfall

More from Merriam-Webster on cloudburst

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!