stampede 1 of 2

noun

Definition of stampedenext
as in flood
a large group of animals or people moving together in a quick and disordered way During the morning rush hour, the coffee shop gets hit with a stampede of customers.

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stampede

2 of 2

verb

as in to dart
to move together in a quick and disordered manner and usually in a large group At the sound of the lunch bell, all five hundred students in the building stampeded toward the cafeteria.

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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 stampede
Noun
Now, smoke damage is creating a similar stampede in California in the aftermath of the devastating 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles County. — Jason Henry, Daily News, 31 May 2026 After officers put an end to the fight, an impromptu stampede ensued from the concession stand to the woods, forcing officials to temporarily stop the game. — Kerri Corrado, CBS News, 29 May 2026
Verb
His friends instantly stampeded for the exits. — Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026 All five girls jumped off the couch, stampeded toward the apartment door, and tumbled into the building’s stairwell, stepping on each other’s heels. — Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for stampede
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stampede
  1. flood
  2. dart
  3. rush
  4. jog
  5. torrent
  6. flow
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Dondi’s son and son-in-law kept combing the flood area for objects, as did her husband, who also transported bins of things back to the warehouse and coached volunteers.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • And in 1993, after many more floods, the Mississippi swelled again, this time with memorable cruelty.
    — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Definition of flood
Verb
  • His plan worked, and the bear darted to the side of the road before disappearing back into the woods.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • So far, the Pentagon has released three batches of files ranging from decades-old FBI reports to more recent military videos showing orbs darting or soaring through the sky.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of dart
Noun
  • Both stay open late enough to catch the post-theater rush, and their Broadway addresses put them minutes from most theaters.
    — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
  • The almost month-long closure got its first real test during the morning rush.
    — Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 13 July 2026
Definition of rush
Verb
  • Jason Melara ran out of the hospital and jogged through traffic on Culver Boulevard with two men, whom police later identified as Daymonee Johnson and Mahki Taylor.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • High-intensity running also dropped, while jogging and walking increased.
    — Alan McCall, New York Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of jog
Noun
  • An analysis of a torrent of public comments submitted on a White House proposal to change the way federal contracts and grants are doled out shows a widespread rebuke of the potential change by scientists and others.
    — Anil Oza, STAT, 15 July 2026
  • The bull case is a torrent of words at odds with cash-flow reality.
    — Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of torrent
Noun
  • Normally, the onshore flow — a west-to-southwest wind that creates the ocean breeze and pushes air away from the coasts — would push the particulate matter with it.
    — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • This would let traffic flow, which is so necessary for the vitality and economy of Chicago; provide a safer route for bikers; and ease the frustration of all of those on the streets of Chicago.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Definition of flow

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stampede
stampeded
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Cite this Entry

“Stampede.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stampede. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stampede

Nglish: Translation of stampede for Spanish Speakers

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