as in canyons
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 couloirs
Set against the stunning backdrop of five peaks, Breckenridge’s Ski & Ride School offers a diverse range of features, including rock drops, couloirs, and expansive bowl skiing.
—
Sara Hansen, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
Sara Hansen, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for couloirs
Noun
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Travel through passes and canyons could become dangerous, and be alert for rock slides and mud slides.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Travel through passes and canyons could become dangerous, and be alert for rock slides and mud slides.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The area has deep ravines and dense vegetation.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
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Low fence markers can be seen outlining the building zone along Route 2, which slopes along open land, wooded patches and some ravines.—
Anna Ortiz,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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Then there’s the ice that’s been frozen in its tracks while cascading down cliffs and gorges.—
Brian Higgins,
Outside,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The setting feels vast and uncrowded, with big skies, open valleys, and a sense of space that’s increasingly hard to find at major resorts.—
Denny Lee,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
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Storms are expect to move across the Southern California beginning Sunday, bringing colder winter temperatures and significant rainfall to the valleys and inland areas and snow to the mountains.—
Staff,
Daily News,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Couloirs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/couloirs. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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