noun
- an upward current of air
Usage: meteorology; aviation
Examples
- The glider pilot searched for an updraft to gain altitude.
- Birds often use updrafts to soar without flapping their wings.
- The hot pavement created a strong updraft on the summer day.
- Thunderstorms can produce powerful updrafts that reach high altitudes.
- The eagle circled in the updraft, rising higher with each turn.
- Mountain slopes often generate updrafts as air is forced upward.