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.
In fact, according to NOAA, only about a quarter of eastern Pacific hurricanes and tropical storms ever make landfall — most curve west and stay out at sea. Doyle Rice, USA Today, 14 May 2026 The spill could pass through Qatar’s exclusive economic zone within about four days, with possible landfall near Al Mirfa in the United Arab Emirates in roughly 13 days, according to Windward. Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026 In 1991, a powerful tropical cyclone made landfall in Bangladesh, creating a storm surge that resulted in more than 138,000 deaths. Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026 In early September of 2023, a week after Hurricane Idalia shot up between the Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba and made landfall in Florida’s Panhandle, birders in Florida, Ohio, North and South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas and Kentucky started reporting sightings of Flamingos. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Landfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landfall. Accessed 15 May. 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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