landfall
noun
land·fall
ˈlan(d)-ˌfȯl 
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
Its maximum wind speeds wavered somewhat after landfall and have since dropped to 125 mph, as the storm tracks north.
—
CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
Hurricane Andrew, which formed during a transition between Pacific patterns, made two landfalls in the Bahamas and two in South Florida, reaching the state’s southeast coast at Category 5 intensity.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Landfall Sinlaku made landfall on Tinian and Saipan at 10:15 pm ChST with winds of 150 miles (241.4 km) per hour.
—John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2026
Super Typhoon Sinlaku was nearing the Northern Mariana Islands early Tuesday, where it’s expected to make landfall as a Category 4-equivalent storm with sustained winds of around 150 mph, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
—Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for landfall
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CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026
Hurricane Andrew, which formed during a transition between Pacific patterns, made two landfalls in the Bahamas and two in South Florida, reaching the state’s southeast coast at Category 5 intensity.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Landfall Sinlaku made landfall on Tinian and Saipan at 10:15 pm ChST with winds of 150 miles (241.4 km) per hour.
—John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2026
Super Typhoon Sinlaku was nearing the Northern Mariana Islands early Tuesday, where it’s expected to make landfall as a Category 4-equivalent storm with sustained winds of around 150 mph, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
—Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for landfall
Cite this Entry
“Landfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landfall. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
landfall
noun
land·fall
ˈlan(d)-ˌfȯl
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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