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thunderstorm

American  
[thuhn-der-stawrm] / ˈθʌn dərˌstɔrm /

noun

  1. a transient storm of lightning and thunder, usually with rain and gusty winds, sometimes with hail or snow, produced by cumulonimbus clouds.

thunderstorm British  
/ ˈθʌndəˌstɔːm /

noun

  1. a storm caused by strong rising air currents and characterized by thunder and lightning and usually heavy rain or hail

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
thunderstorm Scientific  
/ thŭn′dər-stôrm′ /

  1. A storm of heavy rain accompanied by lightning, thunder, wind, and sometimes hail. Thunderstorms occur when moist air near the ground becomes heated, especially in the summer, and rises, forming cumulonimbus clouds that produce precipitation. Electrical charges accumulate at the bases of the clouds until lightning is discharged. Air in the path of the lightning expands as a result of being heated, causing thunder. Thunderstorms can also be caused by temperature changes triggered by volcanic eruptions and forest fires, and they occur with much greater frequency at the equatorial regions than in polar regions.

Etymology

Origin of thunderstorm

First recorded in 1645–55; thunder + storm

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“All dark and menacing, they are. Thunderclouds, if you ask me. We’re in for a thunderstorm; mark my words.”

From Literature

It is currently summer in Brazil - and peak rainy season, with thunderstorms, flooding and landslides a common sight in the country.

From BBC

Therefore short-term flash-flooding from localised intense thunderstorms is expected to increase as well as the longer lasting impacts of groundwater flooding.

From BBC

Another wave of heavy showers and thunderstorms are forecast to sweep across the region Tuesday night, bringing risks of flash flooding, rock and mudslides and debris flows, as well as high winds and mountain snow.

From Los Angeles Times

“There’s 30% to 40% chance of thunderstorms on Monday. We could see damaging wind gusts, intense rainfall, water spouts or brief, weak tornadoes.”

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.