avalanche

1 of 2

noun

av·​a·​lanche ˈa-və-ˌlanch How to pronounce avalanche (audio)
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
Consider the popular debt avalanche or snowball method. Cody Godwin, USA TODAY, 27 Sep. 2024 Some regions will have the discretion to hire additional employees for critical positions, like avalanche crews, said Jacqueline Buchanan, a forester for the Pacific Northwest Region, which includes nearly 25 million acres of public lands in Oregon and Washington. Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 25 Sep. 2024
Verb
The distinctive light green of aspen leaves in summer, set off from the deep greens of conifers such as lodgepole pines, frequently marks the zones where winter snow is unstable and tends to avalanche. Michael C Grant, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 James and the Lakers were getting avalanched, but a run to undo a 17-point deficit got them to within a point before the Memphis Grizzlies smothered them with a barrage of baskets. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2023 See all Example Sentences for avalanche 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'avalanche.' 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 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

Time Traveler
The first known use of avalanche was in 1744

Dictionary Entries Near avalanche

Cite this Entry

“Avalanche.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avalanche. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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