stormy weather

noun

Used to describe a period of troubles and difficulties, especially in terms of relationships.

Opposite
plain sailingsmooth sailing
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Meanings

nounstormy weather (uncountable)
  1. idiomaticuncountableUsed to describe a period of troubles and difficulties, especially in terms of relationships.

    For if you cannot laugh together, / Look out! You're in for stormy weather.

    1939 July 29, The Argus, Melbourne, page 16, column 3
    2 more examples

    But so far the unbounded effrontery of Joseph has pulled him through. However, he has now struck stormy weather, and is likely to have a short and tempestuous passage as Prime Minister.

    1913 October 3, The Westralian Worker, Perth, page 7, column 3

    "Never dreamed you two had struck stormy weather, though - what's the trouble?"

    1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter XIV, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, published 1940, page 149

    Antonyms: plain sailing, smooth sailing

  2. uncountableUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: stormy weather.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounUsed to describe a period of troubles and difficulties, especially in terms of relationships.

Opposite
plain sailingsmooth sailing
Cite this entry
APA

stormy weather. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stormy%20weather

MLA

“stormy weather.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stormy%20weather. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stormy weather,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stormy%20weather.

Source: stormy weather on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.