Definitions

jet stream

NOUN

upper-atmospheric wind

Synonyms

WEAK

air stream geostrophic wind gradient wind high-altitude wind high-speed wind stream prevailing wind upper-atmosphere wind

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.

The jet stream will shift north this weekend allowing warmer southerly winds to bring hot air from southern Europe and north Africa.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

The jet stream also shifts northward, typically pushing winter storms toward the Pacific Northwest and Canada while leaving swaths of California drier than average, especially in the south.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

"Just as small shifts in the jet stream can change the weather, small changes in these cellular winds could change how diseases begin or progress," Cathy said.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

Cold Arctic air, transported south over North America by the polar jet stream in the winter, meets warmer air over the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

I sliced into the water and willed the currents to bend around me, making a jet stream that shot me forward.

From "The Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan