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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Southern California is prone to different types of disasters from strong winds, earthquakes, floods and wildfires.—
Amy Johnson,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
-
An estimated 440 deaths are attributable to the Los Angeles wildfires in January, and more than 1,750 people were killed in December floods and landslides in southeast Asia.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Over time, increase the repetitions using light weights, then gradually progress to heavier loads, Forsyth recommended.—
Allison Forsyth,
Health,
14 Jan. 2026
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There’s live music, 70+ vendors, a Biz Kidz Market and loads of family-friendly activities to keep the entire family entertained for hours.—
Ave Maria,
Miami Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The report alleges the scrape includes 256 million rows of track metadata and 86 million audio files, to be distributed on P2P networks in bulk torrents totaling roughly 300 terabytes.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
21 Dec. 2025
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Officials have conducted dozens of water rescues as debris and mudslides have closed highways and raging torrents have washed out roads and bridges.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Having designed dozens of homes and studied many more, interior designers become accustomed to spotting some of the same home accessories over and over again.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
11 Jan. 2026
-
While this design comes in a dozen colors, the Amazon-exclusive Black Cherry hue is swoonworthy!—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Lightweight and easy to flatten when empty, this packable tote from Bagsmart is a steal for $26 and features tons of pockets for stashing all of your travel essentials.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
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Also, didn’t Trump just pardon Juan Orlando Hernández, the former Honduran President, who had been sentenced to forty-five years in federal prison for conspiring to import four hundred tons of cocaine into the United States?—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Ebern Designs Slim Laundry Hamper With Lid This sleek hamper looks far better than a traditional plastic basket, and the lid keeps piles of clothes out of sight when guests are over.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2026
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Instead of dumping piles alongside traffic areas, distribute it evenly or spread it over garden beds where it can be more easily absorbed.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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There are so many deals on great bags right now, including an unbelievable 84 percent off the Max Studio Pc 3‑piece Luggage Set.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Jan. 2026
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Best Amazon Bakeware Deals Staub, Nordic Ware, Cuisinart, and more are just some of the brands with noteworthy deals on bakeware right now.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In a field experiment with hundreds of consultants, GPT-4 improved speed and quality on some knowledge tasks while performance dropped on other, seemingly similar tasks just outside its strengths.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
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In San Francisco, hundreds of people gathered for a protest and march to speak out against ICE, with many expressing anger and outrage about the fatal shooting in Minneapolis.—
Andrea Nakano,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spates. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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