tsunami

noun

tsu·​na·​mi (t)su̇-ˈnä-mē How to pronounce tsunami (audio)
plural tsunamis also tsunami
Synonyms of tsunaminext
: a great sea wave produced especially by submarine earth movement or volcanic eruption : tidal wave
tsunamic adjective

Examples of tsunami in a Sentence

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.
The Big Bang may have started the universe, but the big boom off the coast of Massachusetts has started a viral tsunami. Mike Sullivan, CBS News, 1 June 2026 The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted with a power hundreds of times stronger than the Hiroshima nuclear explosion, setting off a tsunami and a sonic boom that went around the planet twice. Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 30 May 2026 This iconic resort, located 16 miles north of Kailua-Kona at the site of an ancient fishing village leased from the Kamehameha Schools, first opened in the 1960s and was shut down after a tsunami devastated much of the coast in 2011. Brianna Randall, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026 No tsunami warning has been issued in relation to the earthquake, according to the USGS. Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for tsunami

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, from tsu harbor + nami wave

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tsunami was in 1896

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tsunami.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tsunami. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

tsunami

noun
tsu·​na·​mi (t)su̇-ˈnäm-ē How to pronounce tsunami (audio)
: 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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