What does "squally" mean?
Characterized by squalls, or sudden violent bursts of wind; gusty.
Squally
/ˈskwɔːli/ adj
adj ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Characterized by squalls, or sudden violent bursts of wind; gusty.
- Grammar: squally is listed as adj.
- Nearest alternatives: aeolian, airish, airy, blasty.
- Usage evidence: East, West and squally South-west, with a roar, / swoop down on Ocean, and the surf and sand / mix in dark eddies, and the watery floor / heave from its depths, and roll huge billows to the shore. / Then come the creak of cables and the cries / of seamen.
How to use "squally"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "squally" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "squally" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "squally" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "squally" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "squally" is acting as adj in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "aeolian" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "squally", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Characterized by squalls, or sudden violent bursts of wind; gusty.
"On the eighth of February the winds grew ſtrong and ſqually, accompanied with rain and a north-weſt ſwell;[…]."
- 2 Having unproductive wet spots due to poor drainage. UK, obsolete
"Red bird eyne (Primula veris flore rubro), and white bird eyne (albo), p. 784 , grow very plentifully in moist and squally grounds in the north parts of England, as in Harwood neere to Blackburn in Lancashire, and ten miles from Preston in Aundernesse, also at Crosby Rauenswaith, and Crag-close in Westmoreland."
- 3 Producing or characteristic of loud wails.
"Something whimpered in the room—high and squally."
- 4 Not equally good throughout; not uniform; uneven; faulty.
"It is enacted, That if at any time after the first day of May, any cloth or kerſie, through the default or negligence of the carders, spinners or weavers, or any of them, shall or do prove pursy, cockly, bandy, squally or rowy by warp or woof, […]"
Adjective
- 1 characterized by brief periods of violent wind or rain wordnet
- 2 characterized by short periods of noisy commotion wordnet
Example
"East, West and squally South-west, with a roar, / swoop down on Ocean, and the surf and sand / mix in dark eddies, and the watery floor / heave from its depths, and roll huge billows to the shore. / Then come the creak of cables and the cries / of seamen."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "squally"?
Common synonyms include: aeolian, airish, airy, blasty, blowy, blustering.
How do you use "squally" in a sentence?
East, West and squally South-west, with a roar, / swoop down on Ocean, and the surf and sand / mix in dark eddies, and the watery floor / heave from its depths, and roll huge billows to the shore. / Then come the creak of cables and the cries / of seamen.
How do you pronounce "squally"?
Pronounced /ˈskwɔːli/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From squall + -y; from 1719.
Etymology 2
Probably related to scall + -y.