mushroom cloud

NOUN

large ominous cloud

Synonyms

WEAK

fallout nuclear fallout radioactive cloud

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Footage shows the towering rocket erupt in an inferno, followed by a mushroom cloud of smoke as bystanders gathered to watch the launch gasp "Oh no!" and "Oh my God!"

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

Harry Truman’s legacy froze the moment the mushroom cloud rose over Hiroshima.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

Federal investigators later concluded that the open burn and the black mushroom cloud it produced were unnecessary, but it was too late.

From Salon • Oct. 5, 2024

And just as nuclear blasts produce a distinctive mushroom cloud, uncontrolled wildfires can be powerful enough to generate their own weather.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 22, 2024

My hopes and dreams floated up in a mushroom cloud.

From "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie