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

Shortly after, a second blast sent a mushroom cloud billowing into the sky, rocking the forecourt in Crevedia.

From BBC • Aug. 26, 2023

Apparently, it was drivable, despite those Pac-Man-shaped wheels, because Nemesis revved her engine and disappeared in a mushroom cloud of black smoke.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan