spates

noun

plural of spate
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in loads
a considerable amount an off-color remark that drew a spate of complaints from TV viewers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spates Markets also have been wavering from spates of heavy selling of stocks in companies linked to the boom in artificial intelligence. — ABC News, 10 June 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spates
  1. floods
  2. loads
  3. torrents
  4. dozens
  5. tons
  6. piles
  7. deals
  8. hundreds
Noun
  • While the ballot box can’t change the risk of floods or hurricanes, a constitutional amendment on the November ballot could reduce homeowners’ costs in the form of lower property taxes.
    — Abigail Hall, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
  • Residents from the region spoke to her about dealing with avalanches, floods and landslides in their isolated home.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 30 July 2026
Definition of floods
Noun
  • The weight is adjustable, allowing experienced CrossFit athletes and fitness newcomers to ruck together while carrying different loads.
    — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Today, there are loads of fancier, stronger knots that have become common in fishing.
    — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 30 July 2026
Definition of loads
Noun
  • Most of the deaths were in Hengzhou, where the partial collapse of a reservoir dam sent torrents of water into the city and claimed 26 lives, said Ding Wei, the vice mayor of Nanning city, which has jurisdiction over the area.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 July 2026
  • One significant problem, however, is that red dwarfs spit out harmful torrents of radiation in fierce gusts of their stellar winds, which can strip away a planet's atmosphere.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of torrents
Noun
  • Around the dozens of containers that make Toolik the US’s largest research station in the Arctic, musk ox and caribou graze on dwarf birches and fragrant labrador tea, while Arctic ground squirrels pop out of their burrows to survey the tundra.
    — Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • The 180-acre (73-hectare) retreat, which is run by the Navy and guarded by Marines, has a cabin named Aspen that’s reserved for the president, plus about a dozen other cabins for guests.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Definition of dozens
Noun
  • Local favorites include 5 Tacos & Beers, which has fresh, housemade corn tortillas, tons of brews on tap, and a charming patio area for outdoor dining.
    — Barbara Noe Kennedy, Travel + Leisure, 28 July 2026
  • The company said the vehicles will operate at gross weights between 32 and 42 tons and have daily ranges between 250 and 300 miles, which depend on route profile, load weight and operating conditions.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 28 July 2026
Definition of tons
Noun
  • The smell of rotten eggs permeates communities where large piles of decaying sargassum emit ammonia and hydrogen sulfide.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
  • Content piles up faster than it can be classified or reused, and AI only accelerates that.
    — Benjamin Faes, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of piles
Noun
  • There have also been growing concerns that AI companies are propping each other up through a web of funding deals, with Nvidia at the heart of those worries.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • That single habit, repeated across thousands of deals, is the real reason influencer rates keep climbing.
    — Chris Ryan, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of deals
Noun
  • In addition to the startling experience of touching the remains of an animal that lived hundreds of millions of years ago, contact with the Mastodonsaurus offers an opportunity to reflect on the future, those involved in the project said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
  • As artificial intelligence expands across K-12 schools, Massachusetts announced a new $500,000 public-private investment in AI applied learning opportunities for hundreds of students, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced Tuesday.
    — Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 22 July 2026
Definition of hundreds

Browse Nearby Words

spate
spates
spats
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spates. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on spates

Nglish: Translation of spates for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All