cascade

1 of 2

noun

cas·​cade (ˌ)kas-ˈkād How to pronounce cascade (audio)
1
: a steep usually small fall of water
especially : one of a series
2
a
: something arranged or occurring in a series or in a succession of stages so that each stage derives from or acts upon the product of the preceding
blood clotting involves a biochemical cascade
b
: a fall of material (such as lace) that hangs in a zigzag line and that is used especially in clothing and draperies
3
: something falling or rushing forth in quantity
a cascade of sound
a cascade of events
Her hair was arranged in a cascade of curls.

cascade

2 of 2

verb

cascaded; cascading

intransitive verb

: to fall, pour, or rush in or as if in a cascade
The water cascaded over the rocks.
Her hair cascaded down around her shoulders.

transitive verb

1
: to cause to fall like a cascade
2
: to connect in a cascade arrangement

Examples of cascade in a Sentence

Noun Her hair was arranged in a cascade of curls. That decision set off a cascade of events. Verb The water cascades over the rocks. Her hair cascaded down around her shoulders.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
And the cascade of praise and recognition from other awards-giving bodies (notably SAG), in addition to the numerous moving speeches Gladstone has given already, has primed her to walk away with a statuette come Oscar night. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2024 But a growing number of warning signs have begun to flash to suggest the ongoing cascade of layoffs has begun to weigh down the overall employment picture for the Bay Area tech industry. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 The war in Gaza has become part of a cascade of political problems for Mr. Biden, who has remained publicly supportive of Israel and resisted demands within the Democratic Party to call for a cease-fire. Erica L. Green, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2024 The new year has brought a cascade of layoff announcements from big companies like Amazon, Citigroup, and Google. Daniel De Visé, The Enquirer, 27 Jan. 2024 When my internal communications agency has fielded surveys and run focus groups with non-desk employees in industries including manufacturing, restaurants, retail, hospitality and healthcare, participants share an awareness of the cascade’s shortcomings. Elizabeth Baskin, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 It is discussed and debated in the days before the event, then executed with precision — high, sleek ponytails; crisp chignons; cascades of curls. Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 14 Feb. 2024 At their monthly meeting last Thursday, counselors in Pasadena Unified described a cascade of problems. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2024 Polland, who has a cascade of graying hair, explained why he was chosen for the honor. Ismail Ibrahim, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2024
Verb
The lake cascaded into the Atlantic Ocean, where the freshwater pooled over the denser seawater, disrupting the convection current carrying warm water north from the tropics. Zach St. George, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Over time leaves gracefully cascade down with bright red flowers emerging from dark maroon calyxes. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024 The financial distress that some consumers are facing hasn't been cascading into defaults on the loans and repossessions of cars or trucks. Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 29 Feb. 2024 The impacts cascaded through the food web, affecting fish, birds and whales. Lauren Sommer, NPR, 29 Feb. 2024 These kinds of layoffs often cascade down the supply chain, impacting all associated businesses. Andrea Pietrini, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 There were, however, earrings made of bows and beads that cascaded down from the hair rolls. Hannah Coates, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2024 Three cascading decks and generous interiors allow seafarers to travel the seas in the lap of luxury. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 23 Feb. 2024 But, dying in a hole from quickly cascading fine grains of sand is statistically an equal, albeit, more avoidable, danger, according to published research. David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cascade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

French, from Italian cascata, from cascare to fall, from Vulgar Latin *casicare, from Latin casus fall

First Known Use

Noun

1641, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1702, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of cascade was in 1641

Dictionary Entries Near cascade

Cite this Entry

“Cascade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cascade. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cascade

1 of 2 noun
cas·​cade kas-ˈkād How to pronounce cascade (audio)
: a steep usually small waterfall

cascade

2 of 2 verb
cascaded; cascading
: to fall in or as if in a cascade

Medical Definition

cascade

noun
cas·​cade (ˌ)kas-ˈkād How to pronounce cascade (audio)
: a molecular, biochemical, or physiological process occurring in a succession of stages each of which is closely related to or depends on the output of the previous stage
a cascade of enzymatic reactions
the cascade of events comprising the immune response

More from Merriam-Webster on cascade

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