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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Relevance

Dissimilar Words
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
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches. — Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026 The Million Dollar Highway is open year-round, but it’s periodically closed to clear rockslides and avalanches. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
Verb
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 And many of those paths, some of which are accessible from the Humphreys Peak trail, will avalanche every year. — Shanti Lerner, The Arizona Republic, 4 Aug. 2021 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
  • Less than two years after Labour won a landslide election, Starmer’s authority crumbled, while Nigel Farage’s populist right-wing party Reform UK and the populist left-wing Green Party have surged in opinion polls.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • Recent rain in the area may have triggered the landslide, the AP and NBC News reported.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 19 July 2026
Definition of landslide
Noun
  • Destinations all over Spain are expecting a huge influx of visitors, so come prepared and be responsible.
    — Catherine Tansey, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 July 2026
  • Unsurprisingly, that influx of viewers delivered a major boost for Peacock among Hispanic audiences, with the streamer reaching four times as many viewers as usual in the demographic.
    — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 17 July 2026
Definition of influx
Verb
  • The Odyssey are being produced by Insight Editions for late summer and fall releases.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • The situation becomes less complicated if a mango from a neighbor’s tree falls onto your property.
    — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
Definition of fall
Noun
  • Others, like Shim’s Be Blessed Catering & Food Trailer, have shown up with food, giving away over 1,000 sandwiches to flood survivors.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • And yet, despite the flood of options, there’s even more to come, including a new addition to Ja Morant’s ever-expanding cache of Air Force 1 styles.
    — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 19 July 2026
Definition of flood
Noun
  • In Citrus County, where a small town was slated to play host to Florida’s first hyperscale data center, opponents of the project packed the commission and exceeded its overflow room, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
    — Alexandra Phelps, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
  • The mansion itself was originally constructed in 1640 to accommodate the overflow of guests to their hunting parties; the porticos on the eastern and westerly wings were once stable doors.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 July 2026
Definition of overflow
Verb
  • Miller’s car tore a hole in the front of the semi-truck’s trailer and skidded off the side of the road.
    — Alex Andrejev, New York Times, 17 July 2026
  • Steer clear of puddles - Driving into puddles or low areas of rainwater can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of skid
Noun
  • Hoffman introduced a slide step to speed up his motion to the plate, but even that wasn’t enough to stop the Padres from stealing twice against him earlier this month.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Tonight is an excellent opportunity to stop the slide and fatten the season’s profit.
    — Josh Shepardson, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of slide
Noun
  • That is why there has been such a deluge of anger and frustration from the public, even more than from the tournament exits under Southgate.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • And when engines light, SpaceX has to fire off its water deluge system, which showers the launchpad with hundreds of thousands of gallons of water in mere moments to shield the vital infrastructure from the blaze of liftoff.
    — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 16 July 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 24 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on avalanche

Nglish: Translation of avalanche for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about avalanche

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