storm cloud

IPA/ˈstɔːm klaʊd/
IPA/ˈstɔːrm klaʊd/

storm cloud — noun

1. A thick, dark mass of vapour in the sky that signals an approaching storm, often

1.nounB1
Definition

A thick, dark mass of vapour in the sky that signals an approaching storm, often bringing wind and heavy rain as it moves in.

Example

Hugo watched dark storm clouds roll across the plains as the afternoon light faded.

collocation: storm clouds roll across

The farmer checked the sky and saw heavy storm clouds building to the west.

collocation: storm clouds building

Common collocations
  • dark storm clouds
  • heavy storm clouds
  • thick storm clouds
  • storm clouds roll in
  • storm clouds build up
  • storm clouds block out the sun
Synonyms
  • thundercloud

    more specific — a cloud that produces thunder and lightning

  • rain cloud

    more general — any cloud that brings rain, not necessarily a storm

  • nimbus

    technical term from meteorology; rare in everyday speech

Antonyms

Usage Note

This literal sense often appears with verbs describing movement or approach: gather, roll in, build up, block out, fill the sky.

Common Mistakes

A storm cloud broke and flooded our street.
A thunderstorm broke and flooded our street.
A storm cloud is the cloud itself, not the storm event that follows.

2. A sign that serious problems, conflict, or difficult times are developing and wi

2.nounB2
Definition

A sign that serious problems, conflict, or difficult times are developing and will affect a situation soon — for example, political unrest, an economic crisis, or growing tension between groups.

Example

Storm clouds of protest gathered after the government announced the new tax law.

collocation: storm clouds of protest gathered

The CEO saw storm clouds on the horizon after sales fell for three months.

idiom: see storm clouds on the horizon

Common collocations
  • storm clouds gather
  • storm clouds loom
  • storm clouds form
  • storm clouds of war
  • storm clouds of protest
  • storm clouds on the horizon
  • political storm clouds
  • dark storm clouds
Synonyms
  • warning sign

    more general and practical; used in everyday contexts

  • omen

    carries a superstitious or fateful tone; not limited to large-scale trouble

  • harbinger

    formal and literary; often personifies the thing that announces what is coming

  • red flag

    informal idiom for a clear signal that something is wrong

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

storm clouds of + [abstract noun]

Usage Note

The figurative sense is almost always plural (storm clouds) and typically followed by of + an abstract noun such as war, protest, recession, or trouble. Common verb partners include gather, loom, form, hang over, and appear on the horizon.

Common Mistakes

A storm cloud of economic crisis is coming.
Storm clouds of economic crisis are gathering.
The figurative meaning is almost always expressed in the plural.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Storm cloud, warning sign, omen, harbinger, and red flag all point to something negative ahead, but they differ in scope and register. A storm cloud (almost always plural in this sense) is a dramatic, visual metaphor for gathering trouble — typically used for large-scale events such as war, economic recession, or political crisis. A warning sign is more general and practical, appearing in everyday contexts from medical symptoms to business indicators. An omen carries a supernatural or superstitious flavour, suggesting fate rather than cause and effect. Harbinger is formal and literary, often personifying the thing that announces what is coming. Red flag is an informal idiom for a clear signal that something is wrong, common in personal and professional settings. For example, storm clouds of recession were gathering paints a broad, ominous picture; a red flag for investors is more immediate and specific.

storm cloud ↗warning signomen ↗harbinger ↗red flag ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • gather on the horizon
  • roll in from the west
  • loom overhead
  • build up during the afternoon
  • block out the sun

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Storm cloud is a compound of two Old English words: storm, meaning a violent disturbance of the weather, and clūd, which originally meant 'a mass of rock' or 'a hill' before it was extended to describe masses of vapour in the sky. The compound has been in use since at least the 1500s. Its figurative use — comparing gathering trouble to advancing dark clouds — dates from the 17th century.