Updraft
noun ·2 syllables ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 an upward current of air, especially a strong one
- 2 a strong upward air current wordnet
Example
More examples"Hailstones are formed when raindrops are carried upward by thunderstorm updrafts into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere and freeze. Hailstones then grow by colliding with liquid water drops that freeze onto the hailstone’s surface. If the water freezes instantaneously when colliding with the hailstone, cloudy ice will form as air bubbles will be trapped in the newly formed ice. However, if the water freezes slowly, the air bubbles can escape and the new ice will be clear. The hail falls when the thunderstorm’s updraft can no longer support the weight of the hailstone, which can occur if the stone becomes large enough or the updraft weakens."
Etymology
From up- + draft.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.