1
as in floods
a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms
a spate of words has been published on this controversial topic
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2
as in loads
a considerable amount
an off-color remark that drew a spate of complaints from TV viewers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of spates
When spates of violence like that occur, Norman said the department increases patrols in that area, drawing on resources from outside the area to do so.
—
David Clarey, jsonline.com, 28 Aug. 2025
David Clarey, jsonline.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spates
Noun
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As a skin care ingredient, hyaluronic acid floods withered, thirsty skin with moisture, thereby smoothing the appearance of fine lines.—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
10 June 2026
-
When heavy rain occurs, there is a potential for flooding, particularly in areas that are low-lying or prone to floods.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
The initial system, named Eos, serves as a large-scale prototype designed to achieve steady-state fusion and test structural integrity under real operational loads.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
10 June 2026
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Einride's proprietary optimization software, Saga AI, is also being used to manage EV execution of select Amazon loads, including charging planning.—
Eric Rosenbaum,
CNBC,
10 June 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
Noun
-
Just months before their shootings, prosecutors indicted dozens of young men, accusing them of felony gang participation in the NorthPak gang, which operates in the Wilmington area.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
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Hull Street has bought and sold dozens of dams and power plants across the US since its formation in 2014.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
There’s tons of shopping and dining nearby, as well as convenient subway access.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 June 2026
-
All that energy is stored in giant onboard batteries that collectively weigh 44 tons.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Instead of dispersing evenly over the lawn after they are cut by the mower blades, wet clippings clump together and fall on the lawn in piles or clog your mower deck.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 June 2026
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Remove piles of leaves or excess mulch in your outdoor spaces.—
Emily Hayes,
Martha Stewart,
12 June 2026
Noun
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With the two combined deals, the base value is $35 million over four years.—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
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The list below includes the best deals on residential real estate priced between $300,000 and $3,000,000.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Israel's campaign in Lebanon has killed thousands of people and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes, according to Reuters.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
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Of the hundreds of fan videos that come out of each game, his was different from them all.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spates. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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