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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Recent Examples of couloir
For expert skiers, Arapahoe Basin’s East Wall is an irresistible swath of terrain riven by steep chutes and couloirs, all of it requiring hiking to access.
—
John Meyer, Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2026
Be sure to tick off the Supreme Bowl— packed with tight, fast couloirs—when conditions permit.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Feb. 2026
Each year, the fearless freeriders huck themself off the resort’s infamous couloir during the King’s and Queen’s of Corbet’s event (February 8-15, 2026).
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 20 Dec. 2025
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
John Meyer, Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2026
Be sure to tick off the Supreme Bowl— packed with tight, fast couloirs—when conditions permit.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Feb. 2026
Each year, the fearless freeriders huck themself off the resort’s infamous couloir during the King’s and Queen’s of Corbet’s event (February 8-15, 2026).
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 20 Dec. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for couloir
Noun
-
Altogether, Saguaro is 92,000 acres, with mountains, canyons, 200 miles of hiking trails, and iconic cacti that can grow to be 50 feet tall.—
Graham Averill,
Outside,
23 Feb. 2026
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The vacation spots on this list are romantic, but they’re also designed for duo travel—whether that looks like pairing up with a partner to rappel down canyons in Dominica, trying twice as many dishes on a pintxo crawl in San Sebastian, or co-marveling at South African sunsets.—
Jessica Sulima,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
If no alternative exists, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
-
If reaching a safe shelter is not possible, either crouch down in your car and cover your head, or leave your vehicle and seek refuge in a low-lying area like a ditch or ravine.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The gorge acts as a natural channel funneling through rain runoff often creating an intriguing mix of wildflowers.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
21 Feb. 2026
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Stone villages cling to hillsides above orchards while rivers slice through limestone gorges below.—
Rob Crossan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Couloir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/couloir. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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