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
-
When heavy rain occurs, there is a potential for flooding, particularly in areas that are low-lying or prone to floods.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The new Sky View panoramic roof—a single unbroken pane of glass running from the B-pillar all the way to the rear—floods the cabin with light and creates a sense of openness.—
Sean Evans,
Robb Report,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This approach allows for ramping up or down instantly to maintain high efficiency across varying loads and perfectly match the natural, fluctuating power profile of the sun and wind.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
-
The Type 00 gave Jaguar loads of new identity—being large, distinctive-looking, and very pink—but that identity wasn’t a universal hit with the purists, which is probably why Jaguar persisted anyway.—
Erik Shilling,
Robb Report,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Lightning made the sky as bright as day, the thunder was a continuous crash, and torrents of rain poured down.—
Doris DeCleene,
Outdoor Life,
25 Feb. 2026
-
According to experts, these homes encroach on a path that has carried torrents of water for centuries during periods of heavy rains.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But at the end of meteorological winter, which ran from December through February, few observing stations in the East had recorded a record-breaking cold winter, while dozens in the West and Southwest saw their warmest.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
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The result is a little over a dozen of ultra-versatile staples—cool and edgy, with a subtle softness—that feel distinctly Agolde and Maria McManus at once.—
Libby Page,
Vogue,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The complex process, requiring two Starships equipped with docking adapters to meet up in orbit to transfer hundreds of tons of super-cooled propellant, is necessary for Starship to reach distant destinations like Mars.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Each ship displaces about 10,000 tons, which is roughly 22 million pounds.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
However, if those paths are blocked by shrubbery or piles of leaves, the water backs up.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Workers in white hazmat suits moved piles of rubbish into trucks.—
Caroline Silva,
AJC.com,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In one light, the A’s deals are just four individual processes that finished around the same time.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Increasingly, Fuentes is in conversation with the class of comedians and podcasters, including Shane Gillis and Theo Von, who broke through establishment doors with Netflix and Spotify deals.—
Dan Adler,
Vanity Fair,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Based on those figures, a facility holding up to 10,000 detainees could cost hundreds of millions of dollars annually to operate, according to estimates shared at the event.—
CBS News Atlanta Staff,
CBS News,
9 Mar. 2026
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The changes were slight — reductions of just one-tenth of a second and one-half of a mile to a solar lap spanning two years and hundreds of millions of miles, according to the scientists.—
Marcia Dunn,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spates. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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