waterfall

noun

wa·​ter·​fall ˈwȯ-tər-ˌfȯl 

ˈwä-

1

a

: a perpendicular or very steep descent of the water of a stream

b

: an artificial waterfall (as in a hotel lobby or a nightclub)

2

: something resembling a waterfall

Synonyms of waterfall

• cascade

Examples of waterfall in a Sentence

I used to like to throw sticks in the stream and watch them go over the waterfall.

Recent Examples on the Web

Brisbane, Australia — Along a nine-mile stretch of river between two waterfalls in the Australian rainforest lives a tiny fish that’s been there for millions of years, hiding between rocks along the riverbank by day and emerging at night to feed. —Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 27 Dec. 2025

Events such as DesignMarch and the Reykjavík Arts Festival highlight the city’s creative edge, while day trips beyond its limits offer whale-watching, waterfall hikes, soaks in hot springs, and walks along black-sand beaches. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2025

An algorithm can serve up a waterfall of stories arranged to please consumers. —Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 23 Dec. 2025

Further west, Lombok offers volcanoes such as Rinjani, the Sasak culture, spectacular waterfalls, and tranquil beaches without the mass tourism of Bali. —Wilson Santiago Burgos, USA Today, 21 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for waterfall

• aerosol
• alcohol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• catarrhal
• cortisol
• ethanol
• fireball
• gasohol

Kids Definition

waterfall

noun

wa·​ter·​fall ˈwȯt-ər-ˌfȯl 

ˈwät-

: a fall of water usually from a great height