as in canyon
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
at one point the steep, ice-encrusted walls of the couloir are no more than 50 feet apart
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of couloir
Many of these ski lines are clustered in the same drainages, but while in years past Noyes has been able to complete multiple descents in a day, this year, the hot April sun shortened the windows during which those couloirs would be safe from wet avalanches.
—
Jake Stern, Outside Online, 25 Apr. 2025
For more than eight hours, rescuers worked to reach the hikers and lower them from the couloir.
—Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 27 May 2024
In August, 21-year-old Jadyn Weiss fell 300 feet to her death while descending a steep mountain gully known as the Flying Dutchman couloir.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 2 Oct. 2023
Rivulets and rocks made the couloir treacherous.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2023
That includes backcountry boarding and skiing with friends, ice climbing, snowshoeing, hiking and climbing couloirs.
—Chris Meehan, Popular Mechanics, 27 Feb. 2023
Jake Stern, Outside Online, 25 Apr. 2025
For more than eight hours, rescuers worked to reach the hikers and lower them from the couloir.
—Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 27 May 2024
In August, 21-year-old Jadyn Weiss fell 300 feet to her death while descending a steep mountain gully known as the Flying Dutchman couloir.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 2 Oct. 2023
Rivulets and rocks made the couloir treacherous.
—Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2023
That includes backcountry boarding and skiing with friends, ice climbing, snowshoeing, hiking and climbing couloirs.
—Chris Meehan, Popular Mechanics, 27 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for couloir
Noun
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Sure, there are some spots that are vulnerable to cheap homers, but the middle third of the field is a canyon, and all other types of base hits are suppressed there.—
Tony Blengino,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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The canyon between Laura and the couple remains vast after Laura told Cherry in Episode 3 that Daniel died after his rock-climbing accident just to get Cherry out of their lives.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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If no alternative exists, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Just remember to layer up because the river gorge usually feels cooler than town.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Sep. 2025
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After visitors make their way down the 137 steps from the parking lot and visitor center—a journey that is decidedly less pleasant on the way back up—they’ll get their first glimpse of Natural Bridge, a towering structure set within a rocky gorge.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Couloir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/couloir. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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