storm warning: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal in meteorological context; neutral-to-formal in figurative use.
Quick answer
What does “storm warning” mean?
An official announcement that a storm is expected, advising people to take precautions.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An official announcement that a storm is expected, advising people to take precautions.
A sign or indication that something difficult, dangerous, or turbulent is likely to happen.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is identical in form and core meaning. The system of issuing warnings (e.g., colour codes like 'yellow warning' in UK vs. 'watch/warning/advisory' in US) differs, but the term 'storm warning' remains standard.
Connotations
Both share the same literal and figurative connotations. The term may evoke more frequent literal usage in regions prone to specific storm types (e.g., hurricanes in US Gulf Coast, severe gales in UK).
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties. Slightly more common in literal US weather discourse due to the frequency of severe thunderstorm and hurricane warnings.
Grammar
How to Use “storm warning” in a Sentence
[Verb] + storm warning: issue, broadcast, receive, heed, ignoreStorm warning + [Prep Phrase]: for the coast, of trouble, about the economyVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “storm warning” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The Met Office is warning of storms approaching from the Atlantic.
American English
- The National Weather Service warned of severe storms later today.
adjective
British English
- The storm-warning flags were raised at all coastal stations.
American English
- They activated the storm-warning system ahead of the hurricane.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Figurative: 'The latest sales figures are a storm warning for the next quarter.'
Academic
Used in geography and environmental studies to discuss meteorological forecasting systems.
Everyday
Literal: 'They've just issued a storm warning, so we should cancel the picnic.'
Technical
In meteorology, a specific type of alert for wind speeds exceeding a defined threshold, often for maritime interests.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “storm warning”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “storm warning”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “storm warning”
- Using 'storm alarm' (non-standard).
- Confusing 'storm watch' (conditions are favourable) with 'storm warning' (storm is imminent or occurring).
- Treating it as a verb phrase: 'They storm warned us' is incorrect; use 'They issued a storm warning.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While its primary meaning is meteorological, it is commonly used figuratively to warn of any kind of impending trouble or difficulty (e.g., in business or politics).
A 'watch' means conditions are favourable for a storm to develop. A 'warning' means a storm has been detected and is imminent or already occurring. A warning is more urgent.
No, it is a noun phrase. The related verb is 'to warn' (e.g., 'They warned us about the storm').
No. 'Storm' in this compound noun acts as a modifier and is almost always singular: 'storm warning'. The plural is 'storm warnings'.
An official announcement that a storm is expected, advising people to take precautions.
Storm warning is usually formal in meteorological context; neutral-to-formal in figurative use. in register.
Storm warning: in British English it is pronounced /ˈstɔːm ˌwɔːnɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈstɔːrm ˌwɔːrnɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A storm warning (for something)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a lighthouse with a siren – it WARNs ships about an approaching STORM.
Conceptual Metaphor
TROUBLE IS A STORM. A sign of future trouble is a warning of a coming storm.
Practice
Quiz
In a figurative sense, 'storm warning' most closely means: