landfall

noun

land·​fall ˈlan(d)-ˌfȯl How to pronounce landfall (audio)
1
: a sighting of land after a voyage or flight
2
: a reaching of land (as by a traveler, craft, or storm)
3
: the land first sighted on a voyage or flight

Examples of landfall in a Sentence

From the deck of the boat, we saw our first landfall.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Helene and its aftermath, which killed 248 and caused almost $80 billion in damage, clearly demonstrated how destruction can occur miles inland or far from landfall. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 June 2025 In a triumph for research and forecast improvement efforts, the Center's track forecast performance for 2024 – which saw five landfalls on the U.S. mainland – was the best in its history, the center stated in a preliminary review released this week of its forecasts for last year. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025 Areas with the greatest chance of seeing landfall from a major hurricane include the Gulf Coast, from the Florida panhandle west to Brownsville, Texas. Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Apr. 2025 Part of the Atmospheric River Reconnaissance program, another of Scripps, involves launching radiosondes in different areas of the state, collecting information to predict better the structure and landfall of atmospheric rivers. Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 11 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for landfall

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of landfall was in 1627

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Cite this Entry

“Landfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landfall. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

landfall

noun
land·​fall ˈlan(d)-ˌfȯl How to pronounce landfall (audio)
1
: a sighting or making of land after a voyage or flight
2
: the land first sighted on a voyage or flight
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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