avalanche 1 of 2

noun

Definition of avalanchenext
1
as in landslide
a large mass especially of snow, ice, dirt, or rocks descending from a high place Much of the mountainside was covered by the avalanche.

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2
as in influx
a sudden large amount of something that overwhelms After the disaster, the town received an avalanche of letters and donations from supporters and well-wishers.

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avalanche

2 of 2

verb

as in to fall
to fall down in a large mass The snow avalanched down the mountainside.

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of avalanche
Noun
The avalanche is considered one of the worst disasters in Nepal mountaineering history. — ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026 The avalanche covered the base camp in 14 feet of snow, per The Tourist Times, which cited NNMGA. — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
James and the Lakers were getting avalanched, but a run to undo a 17-point deficit got them to within a point before the Memphis Grizzlies smothered them with a barrage of baskets. — Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2023 That a bunch of boys will insincerely avalanche into girls sports in order to gain some competitive advantage, to slake some hearty thirst for winning? — Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 Feb. 2022 See All Example Sentences for avalanche
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avalanche
  1. landslide
  2. influx
  3. fall
  4. flood
  5. overflow
  6. skid
  7. slide
  8. deluge
Noun
  • The additional heavy rain will increase the risk of landslides and debris flows, especially in areas where landslides have occurred in the past.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The dam formed by the landslide breached, triggering the flood.
    — Binaj Gurubacharya, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of landslide
Noun
  • Sheffield’s capital influx was critical, but so was recruiting top American oilfield services players with shale expertise.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Perhaps the most underappreciated commercial development in Africa has been the recent influx of Gulf capital.
    — Jared Cohen, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of influx
Verb
  • But the opening period didn’t end without a scary moment, as Antetokounmpo fell hard on his back side after being fouled on a dunk attempt late in the first quarter.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Shares of Oracle fell about 9% amid a broader downturn for stocks of top AI stakeholders.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of fall
Noun
  • The weather service issued flood watches through Monday afternoon for a large swath of Utah, southeast Idaho, and northern and central Arizona, including the Grand Canyon.
    — JAIMIE DING, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Those EVs will have to compete not only with longtime sales leader Tesla, but also with the flood of Chinese EVs that, sooner or later, will land in the US.
    — John Voelcker, The Verge, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of flood
Noun
  • The combined sewage-overflow tanks that are supposed to divert sewage from running into the canal won’t be complete until 2029 — a seven-year delay that might require parts of the canal to be re-dredged again to remove the contamination.
    — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026
  • These tunnels will be designed to capture that overflow and serve as massive holding tanks, with the wastewater gradually being treated at ALCOSAN's treatment plant as capacity becomes available.
    — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of overflow
Verb
  • Walker’s Harley-Davidson struck the deer near Beaverdam Road, overturned, skidded crossed the center line and ran off the road, Freeman said.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Jared Jones pitched six strong innings, Jake Mangum had an RBI double in the second inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the skidding Angels 1-0 on Friday night.
    — Jared Jones, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of skid
Noun
  • This can cause problems, as the other end of the card’s bracket can catch on motherboard components during the backward slide.
    — Thomas Soderstrom, PC Magazine, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Some planned attractions include a Barbie activity pool and a Hot Wheels slide tower.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of slide
Noun
  • The county faced the deluge of lawsuits after a change in state law, known as Assembly Bill 218, allowed people to sue over abuse that took place decades ago.
    — Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Second, like Philip Morris, Monsanto, Blackwater, and Facebook before, this looks like a classic rebrand attempt in the face of a deluge of bad press.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of deluge

Browse Nearby Words

avails
avalanche
avalanched
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Cite this Entry

“Avalanche.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avalanche. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on avalanche

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about avalanche

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