avalanche

1 of 2

noun

av·​a·​lanche ˈa-və-ˌlanch 

1

: a large mass of snow, ice, earth, rock, or other material in swift motion down a mountainside or over a precipice

2

: a sudden great or overwhelming rush or accumulation of something

hit by an avalanche of paperwork

3

physics : a cumulative process in which photons or accelerated charge carriers produce additional photons or charge carriers through collisions (as with gas molecules)

avalanche

2 of 2

verb

avalanched; avalanching

intransitive verb

: to descend in an avalanche

Snow avalanched down the mountain.

transitive verb

: overwhelm, flood

The office was avalanched with applications.

Examples of avalanche in a Sentence

Noun

He was buried by an avalanche.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Nathan Solothurnmann, a climate and energy expert for Greenpeace Switzerland, says that climate change means landslides or avalanches will become more common. — ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026

This avalanche of research followed a now-infamous 1998 study published by a British gastroenterologist named Andrew Wakefield in the journal the Lancet. — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026

Verb

Few things bridge South Florida cultures better than the mango, the juicy-sticky-sweet tropical tree fruit that avalanches our backyards all summer long. — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2026

Let’s assume some calamity like that might avalanche its way into North Texas sometime this winter. — Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

French, from French dialect (Franco-Provençal) lavantse, avalantse

First Known Use

Noun

1744, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1826, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for avalanche

• blanch
• branch
• cranch
• manche
• ranch
• stanch
• tranche

Kids Definition

avalanche

noun

av·​a·​lanche

ˈav-ə-ˌlanch

1

: a large mass of snow and ice or of earth and rock sliding down a mountainside

2

: a sudden large amount

an avalanche of words