twister

noun

twist·​er ˈtwi-stər How to pronounce twister (audio)
1
: one that twists
especially : a ball with a forward and spinning motion
2
: a tornado, waterspout, or dust devil in which the rotatory ascending movement of a column of air is especially apparent

Examples of twister in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Nocturnal tornadoes are more than twice as likely to be fatal compared to daytime twisters. Kathryn Prociv, NBC News, 9 Apr. 2024 Kate and Tyler's opposing approaches to storm chasing, as well as the twisters themselves, bring on a ton of drama and adventure. Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 17 Mar. 2024 The twister launched Cartlidge into the air and pulled Nolan from her arms. Michael Goldberg, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024 Across the street where there is farmland and gardens, the twister uprooted huge oaks. Jerome Hansen, Jack Schermerhorn, Ralph Nelson and Ken McCormick, Detroit Free Press, 6 Apr. 2024 Head to banks with nearby dropoffs and slowly swim a small white or chartreuse twister jig. Don Wirth, Field & Stream, 4 Apr. 2024 Storms will continue to bring the threat of twisters, strong winds and large hail, this time to parts of the Southeast and East Coast from Florida to the mid-Atlantic. Dalia Faheid, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024 The twister was seen on radar with debris in the air, which could be hazardous to those not taking shelter. Cheryl Vari, The Enquirer, 3 Apr. 2024 Tracing the scars of Louisville’s F4 twister, 50 years later Louisville weather forecast Monday night: There will likely be showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3 a.m. Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 1 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'twister.' 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

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of twister was in 1579

Dictionary Entries Near twister

Cite this Entry

“Twister.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twister. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

twister

noun
twist·​er ˈtwis-tər How to pronounce twister (audio)
1
: one that twists
2

More from Merriam-Webster on twister

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