dust devil

noun

: a small whirlwind containing sand or dust

Examples of dust devil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
These are very similar to how dust devils form on land. — Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 20 May 2026 There’s a sprawling cattle ranch nearby, and a dust devil moves in the distance. — Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 6 May 2026 All that has shaped him — people, cultures, histories, dust devils, and panoramic desert vistas — is inseparable from his lyrics and his sounds. — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2026 Electrical discharges generated by the fast-moving dust devils lasted just a few seconds, while those spawned by dust storms lingered as long as 30 minutes. — Marcia Dunn The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 27 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dust devil

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dust devil was in 1888

Rhymes for dust devil

See All Rhymes for dust devil

Browse Nearby Words

dustcover
dust devil
dust disease
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Cite this Entry

“Dust devil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dust%20devil. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dust devil

noun
: a small whirlwind containing sand or dust

More from Merriam-Webster on dust devil

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dust devil

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