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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The advisory noted there are risks of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and landslides — warning the Kathmandu Valley is prone to harsh weather.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
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Trooper, which sells a 75-item box equipped with water pouches, meal bars, and a hand-crank radio, designed to sustain a family of four for 72 hours, built its kits after the 2024 floods but has found an altogether different audience since the missile and drone volleys started, AGBI reported.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Once transported to the canyon, the modular components were assembled and put into place using one of the world’s largest cable cranes (cranes that move loads while suspended on cables), which spanned the gorge between the two towers.—
Aman Kumar,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 Apr. 2026
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According to Archer Western, HDR’s design engineers failed to properly account for wind loads — including hurricane winds — in an initial, partial design for the signature bridge arches that the contractor used to calculate construction costs and time for its bid.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Wandering through the wash, the mind drifts not to the film but to the flash floods that move through this channel after heavy rains, sudden torrents cutting and reshaping the valley floor in a matter of hours.—
Josh Jackson,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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Excessive rain caused torrents of water to wash out homes, damage roads, and threaten to burst a dam, sparking an emergency evacuation of thousands in Oahu on March 20.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Administrator Crystal Ruth switches on dozens of heat lamps that radiate a yellow hue to warm at least 80 disabled, abandoned or formerly abused animals that call the rescue home.—
Julian Camejo,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
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Those brief ads are targeting about four dozen battleground districts that the group believes can be flipped.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Is the economy irrationally exuberant, with tons of rapid, expensive hiring and new investment?—
Alex Mayyasi,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2026
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An asteroid the size of a house exploded over the city of Chelyabinsk with the force of 440,000 tons of TNT, damaging buildings and injuring more than 1,600 people, according to NASA.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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On Saturday morning, piles of bricks and mud were all that were left, along with blankets, cooking utensils and other personal belongings salvaged from the rubble and set into a pile.—
Elena Becatoros,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
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Start with one dedicated space and make piles for keep, toss, and donate.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Home Depot is running a bunch of appealing deals on Makita tools as part of its Spring Black Friday fire sale right now.—
Andrew P. Collins,
The Drive,
9 Apr. 2026
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The rights deals go through 2033 with most outlets and 2034 with ESPN.—
Joe Reedy,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Pharmaceutical companies must typically invest many years and hundreds of millions of dollars to win approval for a drug; partly for this reason, some promising treatments are never approved, and many arrive too late for people who urgently need them.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Factor in a tax multiplier for those who repeatedly spend past the salary cap, and payroll expenses can include hundreds of millions in taxes.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spates. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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