gale

noun

1
a
: a strong current of air:
(1)
: a wind from 32 to 63 miles per hour (about 51 to 102 kilometers per hour)
b
archaic : breeze
2
: an emotional outburst
gales of laughter

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 Retailer’s roof caves in from storm Gusting gales knocked several trees into Sacramento homes and caused damage to businesses. Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 6 Feb. 2024 Mariners watched barometers plummet as heavy snows swept across the state with accompanying falling temperatures and severe gales. Frederick N. Rasmussen, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2024 With the gale force winds brought on by the storm, a 40-foot sailboat’s mast broke off near Alamitos Bay in Long Beach, Brian Fisk, a firefighter and public information officer for the Long Beach Fire Department, told McClatchy News in a phone interview. Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 5 Feb. 2024 Forecasters warned of dangerous beach and sea conditions through the middle of the week, and issued a gale warning due to high winds. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2024 This weak layer, buried one to two feet below the snow surface, is being loaded with fresh snow from Wednesday’s fierce winter storm and gale force winds. Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 10 Jan. 2024 All his life, thoughts, feelings and sensory information have coursed through him at gale force. Jon Mooallem, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2023 The gales had lifted a neighbor’s kiddie pool into the air over their street. Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 19 Sep. 2023 To be sure, the historic surge in rates has billowed X’s interest expense from a headwind to a gale. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

of obscure origin

First Known Use

circa 1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of gale was circa 1547

Dictionary Entries Near gale

Cite this Entry

“Gale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gale. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gale

noun
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

Zona 1874–1938 American novelist

More from Merriam-Webster on gale

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