Meaning & use
updraft
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Meaning
nouncountable
A current of air that moves upward, especially warm air rising through the atmosphere.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'an updraft' or 'updrafts.' Often used in weather and flying contexts.
Patterns
- a strong updraft
- rise on an updraft
- an updraft of warm air
The glider climbed quickly on a strong updraft.
Warm air creates an updraft that can help form thunderstorms.
Birds like hawks use updrafts to stay in the air without flapping much.
Word forms
| plural | updrafts |
|---|
Common combinations
- strong updraft
- A strong updraft lifted the balloon high above the trees.
- thermal updraft
- The pilot found a thermal updraft over the dark field.
- ride an updraft
- The eagle rode an updraft to gain height.
- updraft of warm air
- An updraft of warm air rose from the pavement.
- updraft and downdraft
- Storms mix updrafts and downdrafts of air.
Synonyms and how they differ
- thermal
- A thermal is a rising column of warm air that gliders use; it is a type of updraft, often used in sport flying.
- upcurrent
- Upcurrent is a more general term for any upward flow, including water; updraft is mostly about air.
Opposites
Word family
- updraft adjective
- Used before a noun, as in 'updraft winds' or 'updraft kiln.'
Commonly confused: updraft or draft? updraft or downdraft?
updraft vs draft
A draft is any current of air, often cold air coming into a room; an updraft moves upward.
updraft vs downdraft
A downdraft moves downward, the opposite of an updraft.
Practice
The hawk circled higher and higher, carried by a warm ______ from the field below.
Choose one answer.
An updraft is rising air that lifts the bird. 'Downdraft' is the opposite, and 'draft' alone does not show direction.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “updraft”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.