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
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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
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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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Marketing for top sports books like DraftKings and FanDuel floods the airwaves and casts a giant net for customers that critics say has lured in high schoolers and younger college students alongside those legally allowed to bet.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
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And fire ants use their waxy, water-repellent coating and textured exoskeletons to trap air; during floods, thousands cling together to make buoyant, living rafts that can survive 12 days and possibly longer.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This approach allows buildings to balance their energy loads naturally, reducing the need for active heating and cooling systems.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Feb. 2026
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Pairing him with Sama (732 yards, five touchdowns in 2025) in the running game has loads of potential.—
Sam Khan Jr,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In 2017, soaking storms led to flooding that caused $100 million in damage in downtown San Jose and the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people when the spillway at Oroville Dam, the nation’s tallest dam, in Butte County, partially collapsed under torrents of water.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
15 Jan. 2026
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Without intervention, water flows off the steep slopes in torrents, rapidly stripping away soil.—
Stephen Acabado,
The Conversation,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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While dozens of companies have dropped diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, Costco stood behind DEI.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Throughout the 1990s, only a dozen or so people would gather on the Old Trafford forecourt each February 6 to mark the anniversary of the Munich Air disaster.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Stein told reporters Tuesday the state expects to have about 50,000 tons of salt on hand within the next few days and entered the recent winter weather stretch with enough supply to handle three major storms.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Feb. 2026
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Hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of copper, 22,000 tons, was last year dug out of this crater –– the Muhammad Khel Copper Mine –– and hauled off to China; a nation with a seemingly insatiable appetite for metals and minerals.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, alliances with various European powers shifted and forts rose, then fell into piles of matchsticks.—
Jeff Chu,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
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That is what remains for much of the area away from the snow piles created by plows.—
Tammie Souza,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Gu has cut back on the number of sponsorship deals since Beijing but is earning more than ever off the snow, roughly three times as much as American skiers Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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These exclusive Caribbean deals extend beyond the Riviera Maya to top-tier Dominican Republic properties as part of the Happiness Sale 2026.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Foro Penal estimates that hundreds of additional political prisoners still remain behind bars.—
Diego Mendoza,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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The emails show how easily some digital media figures and companies were taken advantage of; publications that were publishing hundreds of articles a day hardly blinked when a positive article about a financier showed up, or a serious-sounding foundation official asked for an image tweak.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spates. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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