Tornado: meaning, definitions and examples

Mostly used in North America to describe a violent rotating column of air that touches both the ground and a cloud.

• A tornado tore through the town last night, causing immense damage

A colloquial term commonly used in the United States for tornadoes. It has an informal tone compared to 'tornado'.

• Locals are preparing for the twister expected to hit tomorrow

Typically used in meteorological contexts and often refers to large-scale systems of wind circulating around a center of low atmospheric pressure. Commonly associated with storms in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific.

• The cyclone brought heavy rains and strong winds to the coastal regions

Describes both small, rapidly rotating air movements that are less intense than tornadoes and can be used metaphorically to describe a situation that happens very quickly and is full of activity.

• The weekend was a whirlwind of events and activities

This entry is a duplicate. Please refer to the first entry for 'tornado'.

A more scientific or technical term that can refer to any rotating motion in fluids, not just air. Often used in physics, engineering, and specific scientific discussions.

• The water in the bathtub formed a small vortex as it drained.
• Scientists studied the vortex patterns in the atmosphere.

Specifically refers to a rotating funnel-shaped cloud that extends from a storm cloud but does not touch the ground. It's usually used in contexts where the phenomenon is observed but hasn't yet developed into a full tornado.

• We spotted a funnel cloud forming in the distance.
• A funnel cloud is an indicator that a tornado may form.

Describes a small rotating column of air or a fast-moving and chaotic situation or activity. It can be used literally or metaphorically. In a literal sense, it refers to smaller-scale twisters. Metaphorically, it describes hectic scenarios.

• The news caused a whirlwind of emotions.
• A whirlwind of dust passed over the field.