1
as in landslides
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 influxes
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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as in tumbles
to fall down in a large mass
The snow avalanched down the mountainside.
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Recent Examples of avalanches
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 31 May 2026
Noun
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 31 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avalanches
Noun
-
Accidents, such as deadly landslides, are fairly common.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 June 2026
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio conducted high-profile raids in Latino communities and, later, the state saw large influxes of migrants during the Biden administration.—
Rebecca Santana,
Chicago Tribune,
22 May 2026
-
Several commercial outfits have recently announced big funding influxes aimed at speeding up the development and launch of new orbiting outposts.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The film, which is set to bow in Un Certain Regard on May 21, tumbles through tones, swerving through pitch-black humor, empathy, fury and larger-than-life moments.—
William Earl,
Variety,
20 May 2026
-
The flagellar bundle falls apart, and the cell tumbles.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Fragmented ecosystems are also far less able to cope with increasing floods, droughts and climate extremes, according to the European Environment Agency.—
Radina Gigova,
CNN Money,
27 May 2026
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Asked about communities recovering from what feel less like 100-year floods than 1,000-year floods, Fenton acknowledged FEMA's red tape.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Researchers believe periodic flooding and river overflows helped preserve the eggs by covering them in sediment millions of years ago.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
23 May 2026
-
As long as the 83/17 split remains in place, protecting local waterways from combined sewer overflows will continue to exacerbate the water affordability crisis in Detroit.—
Nicole Van Lier,
The Conversation,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
The former is a ring on the bottom of the rock that skids across the ice, and the latter is a band around the sides of the rock that collides with other rocks (ideally knocking an opponent’s rock off the bull’s-eye or nudging your team’s closer to it).—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
10 Feb. 2026
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Cargo plane skids off runway in Hong Kong An Emirates Boeing 747 cargo plane skidded off the runway after arriving at Hong Kong International Airport and landed in the sea, according to airport authority.—
Clara McMichael,
ABC News,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The 14-year-old, who appears to brace herself just before the car strikes, then falls to the ground and slides.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
24 May 2026
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These jelly slides are equal parts playful and practical, bringing major '90s energy without the blisters or the price tag.—
Vanessa L. Powell,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2026
Noun
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Heavy rainfall in the area caused torrents and increased the risk of landslides, making rescue operations more difficult, state media said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
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Spring rains and winter snowmelt have swelled rivers and lakes, forcing torrents of water through Cheboygan County communities on its way to Lake Huron.—
Sarah Brumfield,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Avalanches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avalanches. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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