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
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Agnes also underscores why Ken Graham, National Weather Service director, stresses the dangers of hurricane season this year to the millions who live far inland from the point of landfall. Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 28 May 2026 For example, Hurricane Helene in September 2024 was a powerful tropical cyclone that made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend and then ripped its way into Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, causing catastrophic damage and several fatalities across the Southeastern United States. Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 May 2026 While New England has been impacted by several hurricane events, the last to make direct landfall was Hurricane Bob in 1991, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva. Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 27 May 2026 The hurricane, which made landfall near Siesta Key and went across the center of the state, caused a historic outbreak of powerful tornadoes, some of them in South Florida. Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 26 May 2026 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 5 Jun. 2026.

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
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