Gust vs. Wind — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 27, 2023
Gust refers to a brief, strong burst of wind, while wind is the general movement of air in a particular direction.
Difference Between Gust and Wind
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Gust and wind, while closely related, have distinct meanings. A gust is typically described as a sudden and forceful blast of wind, often short-lived. It can be visualized as a brief, powerful burst that comes and goes. Wind, on the other hand, is a more encompassing term that refers to the movement of air from high to low pressure areas. It can be constant or variable, but it usually persists for a more extended period than a gust.
In the realm of meteorology, when forecasters talk about wind speeds, they are generally referencing the average speed over a specified duration. In contrast, when they mention gusts, they refer to those short bursts that exceed the average wind speed. These gusts can be significantly stronger than the general wind and can sometimes lead to damage or hazards.
From a sensory perspective, while standing outside, one can feel the constant push or flow of the wind. Occasionally, there might be a sudden and strong burst – that's the gust. It's like a short, intense push within the more general flow of the wind.
Both gust and wind play vital roles in various phenomena. Sailors, for instance, rely on steady winds to navigate, but they must also be wary of sudden gusts that could upset their vessels. Similarly, architects and engineers must design structures, keeping in mind not just the general wind but also the potential for powerful gusts.
Comparison Chart
Definition
A brief, strong burst of wind
The movement of air from high to low pressure areas
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Duration
Short-lived
Can be constant or variable, persists longer
Intensity
Often stronger than average wind speed
Varies, can be gentle or strong
Measurement
Measured as a burst exceeding average wind speed
Measured as an average speed over a specific duration
Usage in Context
Indicates sudden and intense bursts
Refers to general air movement
Compare with Definitions
Gust
Gust implies a brief increase in wind speed.
A gust of wind rustled the leaves abruptly.
Wind
Wind denotes the movement of air across the Earth's surface.
The wind carried the scent of the ocean.
Gust
Gust refers to the short-lived intensification of wind.
I shielded my face from the cold gust.
Wind
Wind plays a crucial role in weather patterns.
The steady wind indicated a stable weather front.
Gust
Gust signifies a strong and sudden wind burst.
The gust nearly knocked me off my feet.
Wind
Wind is the natural movement of air or other gases relative to a planet's surface. Wind occurs on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting a few hours, to global winds resulting from the difference in absorption of solar energy between the climate zones on Earth.
Gust
Gust can sometimes be potent enough to cause disruptions.
The gust upturned the umbrella in an instant.
Wind
Moving air, especially a natural and perceptible movement of air parallel to or along the ground.
Gust
Gust can indicate a momentary and forceful blow of wind.
The gust rattled the windows intensely.
Wind
A movement of air generated artificially, as by bellows or a fan.
Gust
A strong, abrupt rush of wind.
Wind
The direction from which a movement of air comes
The wind is north-northwest.
Gust
A sudden burst, as of rain or smoke.
Wind
A movement of air coming from one of the four cardinal points of the compass
The four winds.
Gust
An outburst of emotion.
Wind
Moving air carrying sound, an odor, or a scent.
Gust
(Archaic) Relish; gusto.
Wind
Breath, especially normal or adequate breathing; respiration
Had the wind knocked out of them.
Gust
The sense of taste.
Wind
Gas produced in the stomach or intestines during digestion; flatulence.
Gust
Personal taste or inclination; liking.
Wind
The brass and woodwinds sections of a band or orchestra.
Gust
To blow in gusts.
Wind
Wind instruments or their players considered as a group.
Gust
A strong, abrupt rush of wind.
Wind
Woodwinds.
Gust
(by extension) Any rush or outburst (of water, emotion, etc.).
Wind
Something that disrupts or destroys
The winds of war.
Gust
(archaic) The physiological faculty of taste.
Wind
A tendency; a trend
The winds of change.
Gust
Relish, enjoyment, appreciation.
Wind
Information, especially of something concealed; intimation
Trouble will ensue if wind of this scandal gets out.
Gust
Intellectual taste; fancy.
Wind
Speech or writing empty of meaning; verbiage
His remarks on the subject are nothing but wind.
Gust
To blow in gusts.
Wind
Vain self-importance; pomposity
An expert who was full of wind even before becoming famous.
Gust
To taste.
Wind
The act of winding.
Gust
To have a relish for.
Wind
A single turn, twist, or curve.
Gust
A sudden squall; a violent blast of wind; a sudden and brief rushing or driving of the wind.
Snow, and hail, stormy gust and flaw.
Wind
To expose to free movement of air; ventilate or dry.
Gust
A sudden violent burst of passion.
Wind
To detect the smell of; catch a scent of.
Gust
The sense or pleasure of tasting; relish; gusto.
An ox will relish the tender flesh of kids with as much gust and appetite.
Wind
To pursue by following a scent.
Gust
Gratification of any kind, particularly that which is exquisitely relished; enjoyment.
Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust.
Wind
To cause to be out of or short of breath.
Gust
Intellectual taste; fancy.
A choice of it may be made according to the gust and manner of the ancients.
Wind
To afford a recovery of breath
Stopped to wind and water the horses.
Gust
To taste; to have a relish for.
Wind
To wrap (something) around a center or another object once or repeatedly
Wind string around a spool.
Gust
A strong current of air;
The tree was bent almost double by the gust
Wind
To wrap or encircle (an object) in a series of coils; entwine
Wound her injured leg with a bandage.
Wound the waist of the gown with lace and ribbons.
Wind
To go along (a curving or twisting course)
Wind a path through the mountains.
Wind
To proceed on (one's way) with a curving or twisting course.
Wind
To introduce in a disguised or devious manner; insinuate
He wound a plea for money into his letter.
Wind
To turn (a crank, for example) in a series of circular motions.
Wind
To coil the spring of (a mechanism) by turning a stem or cord, for example
Wind a watch.
Wind
To coil (thread, for example), as onto a spool or into a ball.
Wind
To remove or unwind (thread, for example), as from a spool
Wound the line off the reel.
Wind
To lift or haul by means of a windlass or winch
Wind the pail to the top of the well.
Wind
To move in or have a curving or twisting course
A river winding through a valley.
Wind
To move in or have a spiral or circular course
A column of smoke winding into the sky.
Wind
To be coiled or spiraled
The vine wound about the trellis.
Wind
To be twisted or whorled into curved forms.
Wind
To proceed misleadingly or insidiously in discourse or conduct.
Wind
To become wound
A clock that winds with difficulty.
Wind
To blow (a wind instrument).
Wind
To sound by blowing.
Wind
Real or perceived movement of atmospheric air usually caused by convection or differences in air pressure.
The wind blew through her hair as she stood on the deck of the ship.
As they accelerated onto the motorway, the wind tore the plywood off the car's roof-rack.
The winds in Chicago are fierce.
Wind
Air artificially put in motion by any force or action.
The wind of a cannon ball;
The wind of a bellows
Wind
The ability to breathe easily.
After the second lap he was already out of wind.
The fall knocked the wind out of him.
Wind
News of an event, especially by hearsay or gossip. (Used with catch, often in the past tense.)
Steve caught wind of Martha's dalliance with his best friend.
Wind
One of the five basic elements in Indian and Japanese models of the Classical elements.
Wind
Flatus.
Eww. Someone just passed wind.
Wind
Breath modulated by the respiratory and vocal organs, or by an instrument.
Wind
(music) The woodwind section of an orchestra. Occasionally also used to include the brass section.
Wind
A direction from which the wind may blow; a point of the compass; especially, one of the cardinal points, which are often called the "four winds".
Wind
Types of playing-tile in the game of mah-jongg, named after the four winds.
Wind
A disease of sheep, in which the intestines are distended with air, or rather affected with a violent inflammation. It occurs immediately after shearing.
Wind
Mere breath or talk; empty effort; idle words.
Wind
A bird, the dotterel.
Wind
The region of the solar plexus, where a blow may paralyze the diaphragm and cause temporary loss of breath or other injury.
Wind
The act of winding or turning; a turn; a bend; a twist.
Wind
(transitive) To blow air through a wind instrument or horn to make a sound.
Wind
(transitive) To cause (someone) to become breathless, as by a blow to the abdomen, or by physical exertion, running, etc.
The boxer was winded during round two.
Wind
To cause a baby to bring up wind by patting its back after being fed.
Wind
To turn a boat or ship around, so that the wind strikes it on the opposite side.
Wind
(transitive) To expose to the wind; to winnow; to ventilate.
Wind
(transitive) To perceive or follow by scent.
The hounds winded the game.
Wind
(transitive) To rest (a horse, etc.) in order to allow the breath to be recovered; to breathe.
Wind
(transitive) To turn a windmill so that its sails face into the wind.
Wind
(transitive) To turn coils of (a cord or something similar) around something.
To wind thread on a spool or into a ball
Wind
(transitive) To tighten the spring of a clockwork mechanism such as that of a clock.
Please wind that old-fashioned alarm clock.
Wind
(transitive) To entwist; to enfold; to encircle.
Wind
(intransitive) To travel in a way that is not straight.
Vines wind round a pole.
The river winds through the plain.
Wind
(transitive) To have complete control over; to turn and bend at one's pleasure; to vary or alter or will; to regulate; to govern.
Wind
(transitive) To introduce by insinuation; to insinuate.
Wind
(transitive) To cover or surround with something coiled about.
To wind a rope with twine
Wind
(transitive) To cause to move by exerting a winding force; to haul or hoist, as by a winch.
Wind
To turn (a ship) around, end for end.
Wind
To turn completely, or with repeated turns; especially, to turn about something fixed; to cause to form convolutions about anything; to coil; to twine; to twist; to wreathe; as, to wind thread on a spool or into a ball.
Whether to windThe woodbine round this arbor.
Wind
To entwist; to infold; to encircle.
Sleep, and I will wind thee in arms.
Wind
To have complete control over; to turn and bend at one's pleasure; to vary or alter or will; to regulate; to govern.
In his terms so he would him wind.
Gifts blind the wise, and bribes do pleaseAnd wind all other witnesses.
Were our legislature vested in the prince, he might wind and turn our constitution at his pleasure.
Wind
To introduce by insinuation; to insinuate.
You have contrived . . . to windYourself into a power tyrannical.
Little arts and dexterities they have to wind in such things into discourse.
Wind
To cover or surround with something coiled about; as, to wind a rope with twine.
Wind
To turn completely or repeatedly; to become coiled about anything; to assume a convolved or spiral form; as, vines wind round a pole.
So swift your judgments turn and wind.
Wind
To have a circular course or direction; to crook; to bend; to meander; as, to wind in and out among trees.
And where the valley winded out below,The murmuring main was heard, and scarcely heard, to flow.
He therefore turned him to the steep and rocky path which . . . winded through the thickets of wild boxwood and other low aromatic shrubs.
Wind
To go to the one side or the other; to move this way and that; to double on one's course; as, a hare pursued turns and winds.
The lowing herd wind lowly o'er the lea.
To wind out, to extricate one's self; to escape.Long struggling underneath are they could windOut of such prison.
Wind
To expose to the wind; to winnow; to ventilate.
Wind
To perceive or follow by the scent; to scent; to nose; as, the hounds winded the game.
Wind
To drive hard, or force to violent exertion, as a horse, so as to render scant of wind; to put out of breath.
Wind
To blow; to sound by blowing; esp., to sound with prolonged and mutually involved notes.
Ye vigorous swains, while youth ferments your blood, . . . Wind the shrill horn.
That blast was winded by the king.
Wind
The act of winding or turning; a turn; a bend; a twist; a winding.
Wind
Air naturally in motion with any degree of velocity; a current of air.
Except wind stands as never it stood,It is an ill wind that turns none to good.
Winds were soft, and woods were green.
Wind
Air artificially put in motion by any force or action; as, the wind of a cannon ball; the wind of a bellows.
Wind
Breath modulated by the respiratory and vocal organs, or by an instrument.
Their instruments were various in their kind,Some for the bow, and some for breathing wind.
Wind
Power of respiration; breath.
If my wind were but long enough to say my prayers, I would repent.
Wind
Air or gas generated in the stomach or bowels; flatulence; as, to be troubled with wind.
Wind
Air impregnated with an odor or scent.
A pack of dogfish had him in the wind.
Wind
A direction from which the wind may blow; a point of the compass; especially, one of the cardinal points, which are often called the four winds.
Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain.
Wind
A disease of sheep, in which the intestines are distended with air, or rather affected with a violent inflammation. It occurs immediately after shearing.
Wind
Mere breath or talk; empty effort; idle words.
Nor think thou with windOf airy threats to awe.
Wind
The dotterel.
Wind
The region of the pit of the stomach, where a blow may paralyze the diaphragm and cause temporary loss of breath or other injury; the mark.
Wind
Air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure;
Trees bent under the fierce winds
When there is no wind, row
The radioactivity was being swept upwards by the air current and out into the atmosphere
Wind
A tendency or force that influences events;
The winds of change
Wind
Breath;
The collision knocked the wind out of him
Wind
Empty rhetoric or insincere or exaggerated talk;
That's a lot of wind
Don't give me any of that jazz
Wind
An indication of potential opportunity;
He got a tip on the stock market
A good lead for a job
Wind
A musical instrument in which the sound is produced by an enclosed column of air that is moved by the breath
Wind
A reflex that expels intestinal gas through the anus
Wind
The act of winding or twisting;
He put the key in the old clock and gave it a good wind
Wind
To move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course;
The river winds through the hills
The path meanders through the vineyards
Sometimes, the gout wanders through the entire body
Wind
Extend in curves and turns;
The road winds around the lake
Wind
Wrap or coil around;
Roll your hair around your finger
Twine the thread around the spool
Wind
Catch the scent of; get wind of;
The dog nosed out the drugs
Wind
Coil the spring of (some mechanical device) by turning a stem;
Wind your watch
Wind
Form into a wreath
Wind
Raise or haul up with or as if with mechanical help;
Hoist the bicycle onto the roof of the car
Wind
Wind is air in motion relative to the surface.
The wind whispered secrets through the trees.
Wind
Wind can vary in direction and intensity.
The wind shifted east, bringing a change in weather.
Wind
Wind can be a force felt constantly over an extended period.
The village was known for its relentless wind.
Common Curiosities
Do meteorologists measure gust and wind differently?
Yes, wind is measured as an average speed over a set duration, while gusts are measured as bursts exceeding that average.
What is a gust?
A gust is a sudden and strong burst of wind.
Is a gust longer-lasting than wind?
No, a gust is short-lived, whereas wind can persist for longer periods.
Is wind always noticeable?
No, wind can range from gentle breezes to strong gales. It's not always noticeably felt.
Do gusts always accompany wind?
Not always, but gusts are sudden increases in wind speed and occur within the context of the wind.
Which is more predictable: gust or wind?
Wind patterns are generally more predictable, while gusts can be sudden and unexpected.
How is wind defined?
Wind is the movement of air from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.
Can gusts be hazardous?
Yes, sudden and strong gusts can cause disruptions and even damage.
How do gusts impact aviation?
Gusts can be challenging for pilots, especially during takeoff and landing, requiring adjustments.
Can gusts change direction quickly?
Yes, gusts can be erratic and might change direction suddenly.
Are there instruments to measure both gust and wind?
Yes, anemometers measure wind speed, and they can capture both average wind and gust speeds.
Are there specific regions known for strong winds?
Yes, places like the Great Plains in the U.S. are known for consistent winds.
Can structures be damaged by gusts?
Yes, strong gusts can damage weak or poorly constructed structures.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
