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
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Recent Examples of couloirs
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
John Meyer, Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for couloirs
Noun
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Some 4,800 units were erected along the hills and canyons of Kearny Mesa in less than a year.—
Eric DuVall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
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Trails in the area can also take visitors down into the canyons, through downtown Laguna Beach, or even into neighboring towns.—
Acacia Gabriel,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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She was found hours later, barely alive and with a fractured skull, having been brutally raped and left for dead in one of the park’s ravines.—
Tracy Grant,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 Apr. 2026
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The Rock Creek Loop traverses approximately seven miles of ravines, creeks, subtropical forest, and small footbridges.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The island’s eastern region of Lasithi is home to dramatic gorges, small mountain villages, Europe’s largest natural palm forest—and fewer crowds.—
Yulia Denisyuk,
Robb Report,
16 Apr. 2026
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One of the most popular hikes—the Vikos Gorge—journeys through one of the deepest gorges, winding along quiet villages and monasteries.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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When the set was ready, fans heard a story (narrated by Karol in Spanish, and projected onto the screens in English) about a girl who had to break from social expectations to find her voice, and who used that strength to create light, water, fire, and valleys.—
Vanessa Diaz,
Rolling Stone,
13 Apr. 2026
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The low snowfall in the valleys around the Great Salt Lake are symptoms of the lake's chronically low water levels, Abbott said.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Couloirs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/couloirs. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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