billowing

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Moving in large, soft, rolling waves, like smoke or cloth filled with wind.

   Grammar: Comes before the noun it describes: billowing smoke, billowing clouds.

   Patterns

   • billowing smoke
   • billowing clouds
   • billowing sails

   Billowing smoke rose from the burning building.

   The ship moved slowly under its billowing white sails.

   We watched the billowing clouds gather over the hills.

2. 2verbintransitive

   Present participle of 'billow': swelling or moving outward in large rolling masses.

   Grammar: No object; often used with 'out' or 'up': smoke billowed out.

   Patterns

   • billowing out
   • billowing up
   • billowing in the wind

   Smoke was billowing out of the open window.

   Her skirt was billowing in the strong breeze.

   Dark clouds were billowing up behind the mountains.

Common combinations

billowing smoke

Billowing smoke filled the sky after the explosion.

billowing clouds

Billowing clouds rolled across the valley.

billowing sails

The boat raced forward with billowing sails.

billowing curtains

The open window made the billowing curtains dance.

Synonyms and how they differ

swelling

Suggests growing larger in size; 'billowing' is more about a rolling, wave-like movement.

surging

Suggests a sudden, powerful forward movement; 'billowing' is softer and more circular.

puffing

Suggests short, small bursts of smoke or air; 'billowing' suggests large, continuous masses.

Word family

billow verb

To move or swell in large rolling masses.

billow noun

A large rolling mass of smoke, cloud, or cloth.

billowy adjective

Full of or characterized by billows; often describing clouds or fabric.

Commonly confused: billowing or bellowing?

Practice

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