tsunami
noun
tsu·na·mi
(t)su̇-ˈnä-mē 
plural tsunamis also tsunami
: a great sea wave produced especially by submarine earth movement or volcanic eruption : tidal wave
Examples of tsunami in a Sentence
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That reversibility could reduce transport costs while enabling fast setup in emergencies, such as deploying a temporary field hospital after a tsunami.
—
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Dec. 2025
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, located about 136 miles northwest of Tokyo, was among 54 reactors shut after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima Daiichi plant in the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.
—Reuters, NBC news, 22 Dec. 2025
Caught in the middle of this financial tsunami of stupid spending are schools like TCU, and so many others, that want to compete in Power Four football, need to win and can’t afford misses.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Dec. 2025
Following the retreat of South Sawyer Glacier, a landslide in southeast Alaska’s Tracy Arm in August 2025 generated a tsunami that swept across the narrow fjord and ran nearly 1,600 feet (nearly 490 meters) up the other side.
—Matthew L. Druckenmiller, The Conversation, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tsunami
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Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Dec. 2025
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, located about 136 miles northwest of Tokyo, was among 54 reactors shut after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima Daiichi plant in the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.
—Reuters, NBC news, 22 Dec. 2025
Caught in the middle of this financial tsunami of stupid spending are schools like TCU, and so many others, that want to compete in Power Four football, need to win and can’t afford misses.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Dec. 2025
Following the retreat of South Sawyer Glacier, a landslide in southeast Alaska’s Tracy Arm in August 2025 generated a tsunami that swept across the narrow fjord and ran nearly 1,600 feet (nearly 490 meters) up the other side.
—Matthew L. Druckenmiller, The Conversation, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tsunami
Cite this Entry
“Tsunami.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tsunami. Accessed 26 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tsunami
noun
tsu·na·mi
(t)su̇-ˈnäm-ē
: a great sea wave produced especially by an earthquake or volcanic eruption under the sea : tidal wave
Etymology
Japanese, from tsu "harbor" + nami "wave"
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