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

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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

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
  • Forecasters warned the worst may not yet be over for some Midwesterners, as rivers continued to swell Thursday in states previously struck by this week's floods.
    — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its most severe warning for heavy rain in 14 municipalities in the Chiba prefecture, warning residents of floods and landslides.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of floods
Noun
  • The type of helicopter that crashed can carry heavy loads and is commonly used in firefighting operations, with the ability to carry a more than 2,000-gallon tank.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026
  • When temperatures exceed 110°F, passenger planes must consider lightening their loads.
    — John Vaillant, Time, 8 Aug. 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
  • At another stop, a few dozen faces crowded at the back of a coffee shop in Hampton, Iowa, just after the lunch rush.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Nationwide, a total of 21 executions have been carried out so far this year, including Thursday's, and nearly a dozen more are scheduled, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of dozens
Noun
  • In the first half of this year, police reported seizing 80 tons of drugs, while in 2025 authorities confiscated nearly 215 tons, primarily cocaine.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele offered to send two planes loaded with 100 tons of aid.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of tons
Noun
  • Furious at seeing piles of dead bodies, Wolverine unlocks a rage ability where his devastating attacks do even more damage.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The system demanded piles of paper to ensure the never-ending influx of goods contained numbers that corresponded correctly, that actually checked out.
    — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of piles
Noun
  • Are the club working on multiple deals, especially for experienced players?
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The courses, Cristerna said, would have been useful in learning how to negotiate brand deals, maximize monetization opportunities and cultivate and keep an audience.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of deals
Noun
  • The hundreds of thousands of homeowners who are now getting their insurance through the California FAIR (Fair Access to Insurance Requirements) Plan will soon be paying even more.
    — John Ramos, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Content creator online reviews of hotels, resorts, cruises, restaurants, and airline flights, often with impressive production values, can generate hundreds of thousands, and even millions, of views.
    — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of hundreds

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Cite this Entry

“Spates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spates. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of spates for Spanish Speakers

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