rockfall

noun

rock·​fall ˈräk-ˌfȯl How to pronounce rockfall (audio)
: a mass of falling or fallen rocks

Examples of rockfall in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Local authorities suspended the search on Thursday afternoon, saying the debris mounds were too unstable for now and warned of further rockfalls. Dave Graham, Christian Science Monitor, 29 May 2025 Some expedition operators prefer to climb from the Chinese side, claiming that Everest’s Northeast ridge is less vulnerable to avalanches and rockfall than the southern flank. Ben Ayers, Outside Online, 24 Apr. 2024 Lambiel said the rockfalls were due to climate change. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR, 29 May 2025 At Kilauea’s summit, there are significant hazards with the crater’s instability, ground cracking and rockfalls, especially after earthquakes. Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 27 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for rockfall

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rockfall was in 1901

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Cite this Entry

“Rockfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rockfall. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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