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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
  • The record may come as no surprise after a summer marked by extreme weather, from wildfires to floods, and on the cusp of what scientists believe will be a historic El Niño.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Each El Niño seems to include some unexpected results, especially regarding where droughts and floods appear.
    — Steven Paton, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of floods
Noun
  • The size and specialized nature of these loads can also create opportunities for carriers to take on new customers and routes.
    — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Faster speeds generally mean a compromise in quality, multi-color 3D printers often waste some filament, and higher volume loads usually demand more hardware.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of loads
Noun
  • Legitimate footage showed torrents of water sweeping through a valley.
    — Thor Benson, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Burn scars on the landscape wildfires rapidly funnel water into downslope torrents.
    — Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of torrents
Noun
  • Anthony Kwan / Getty Images file Legal concerns have led to the shutdown of dozens of civil society groups, including the alliance, which voted to disband in 2021.
    — Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Over 760,000 teenagers in dozens of countries took the Programme for International Student Assessment last year.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of dozens
Noun
  • The company estimates that installed LNG capacity will need to reach 900 million tons per annum by 2035 to meet future demand.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
  • And while their estimate of a billion tons of water is much higher than what's believed to exist, Elvis and McDowell say finding additional water could extend a large city's lifespan.
    — Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of tons
Noun
  • Eventually, the firms dumped the valuable slag into waste piles and wrote off the metals inside.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Some T-shirts and hats were handed out, but players only briefly put them on before adding them to the piles some of them have at home.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of piles
Noun
  • Similarly the Rodon, (Jayden) Bogle, Aaronson deals — all those guys took months to finish.
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Mubadala has invested more than $20 billion in China across more than 100 deals since 2015.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of deals
Noun
  • Chinese researchers have outlined a future tank that could generate its own power and strike targets hundreds of miles away.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The 2,000-pound bombs have been employed by Israel on hundreds of occasions in Gaza and Lebanon, playing a significant role in the death toll of those conflicts.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 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 17 Sep. 2026.

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