1
: the season between autumn and spring comprising in the northern hemisphere usually the months of December, January, and February or as reckoned astronomically extending from the December solstice to the March equinox
2
: the colder half of the year
3
: year
happened many winters ago
4
: a period of inactivity or decay
wintered; wintering
ˈwin-t(ə-)riŋ 
1
: to pass the winter
winters in the Caribbean
2
: to feed or find food during the winter
—used with on
: to keep, feed, or manage during the winter
1
: of, relating to, or suitable for winter
a winter vacation
winter clothes
2
: sown in the autumn and harvested in the following spring or summer
winter wheat
winter rye
compare summer
Synonyms
Examples of winter in a Sentence
Noun
They spend winters in Florida.
We're in for a cold winter this year, I hear.
She traveled there two winters ago.
the last day of winter
Verb
The birds will winter in the southern part of the country.
My family winters in Florida.
The farm agreed to winter our horses for us.
Recent Examples on the Web
Brady MacDonald, Orange County Register, 7 Nov. 2024
Come winter, conditions are expected to improve through January, but parts of Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware and West Virginia will likely still experience some level of drought.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Oct. 2024
New data found that the population of monarchs wintering in Mexico earlier this year had shrunk by 59% since last year.
—Adam Tamburin, Axios, 17 July 2024
Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY, 21 Apr. 2023
Though convention might tell us to spruce and upgrade our space in the spring (alongside a feverish amount of post-winter cleaning), there is a case to be made for elevating your home right now, mid-fall and pre-holidays.
—PEOPLE.com, 16 Nov. 2021
See all Example Sentences for winter 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Here are the 10 best new things on the winter holidays menu at Disneyland.
—Brady MacDonald, Orange County Register, 7 Nov. 2024
Come winter, conditions are expected to improve through January, but parts of Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware and West Virginia will likely still experience some level of drought.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
Verb
But even experienced rowers will learn lots on tours of the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, where visitors can see wintering sandhill cranes, and on journeys down the Chickamauga Dam Lock.
—Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Oct. 2024
New data found that the population of monarchs wintering in Mexico earlier this year had shrunk by 59% since last year.
—Adam Tamburin, Axios, 17 July 2024
Adjective
Winter weather in North Dakota, Minnesota People in northern North Dakota and Minnesota can expect to see snow with some winter advisories in effect through Friday night.
—Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY, 21 Apr. 2023
Though convention might tell us to spruce and upgrade our space in the spring (alongside a feverish amount of post-winter cleaning), there is a case to be made for elevating your home right now, mid-fall and pre-holidays.
—PEOPLE.com, 16 Nov. 2021
See all Example Sentences for winter
Dictionary Entries Near winter
Cite this Entry
“Winter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/winter. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
winter
1 of 3 noun
win·ter
ˈwint-ər
1
: the season between autumn and spring usually including in the northern half of the globe the months of December, January, and February
2
: year sense 2
happened many winters ago
3
: a time or season of idleness or decay
winter
2 of 3 verb
wintered; wintering
ˈwint-ə-riŋ
ˈwin-triŋ
1
: to pass or live through the winter
the cattle wintered on the range
2
: to keep, feed, or manage during the winter
winter livestock
winter
3 of 3 adjective1
: of, relating to, or suitable for winter
winter clothes
2
: sown in autumn and harvested in the following spring or summer
winter wheat
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share