as in floods
a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms
the dam broke, unleashing a torrent down the dry riverbed
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Recent Examples of torrents
In 2017, soaking storms led to flooding that caused $100 million in damage in downtown San Jose and the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people when the spillway at Oroville Dam, the nation’s tallest dam, in Butte County, partially collapsed under torrents of water.
—
Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Without intervention, water flows off the steep slopes in torrents, rapidly stripping away soil.
—Stephen Acabado, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026
The report alleges the scrape includes 256 million rows of track metadata and 86 million audio files, to be distributed on P2P networks in bulk torrents totaling roughly 300 terabytes.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 21 Dec. 2025
Officials have conducted dozens of water rescues as debris and mudslides have closed highways and raging torrents have washed out roads and bridges.
—CBS News, 13 Dec. 2025
Hundreds of people remain missing – likely washed away in rapid torrents of floodwater or buried beneath thick mud and debris.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
Helene dumped 30 inches of rain in Transylvania County, where the bridge is located, creating torrents of debris that slammed bridges for days.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 4 Dec. 2025
The death of Banda Amidst the torrents, Arisu follows the sound of Usagi’s voice, as they are both swept towards a watery vortex that leads to the world of the dead.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
The bulls got a dovish turn from the Federal Reserve without much noticeable slowing in growth, with stock indexes at a record, credit markets blissfully sedate and capital investments running in torrents into the economy.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2025
Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Without intervention, water flows off the steep slopes in torrents, rapidly stripping away soil.
—Stephen Acabado, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026
The report alleges the scrape includes 256 million rows of track metadata and 86 million audio files, to be distributed on P2P networks in bulk torrents totaling roughly 300 terabytes.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 21 Dec. 2025
Officials have conducted dozens of water rescues as debris and mudslides have closed highways and raging torrents have washed out roads and bridges.
—CBS News, 13 Dec. 2025
Hundreds of people remain missing – likely washed away in rapid torrents of floodwater or buried beneath thick mud and debris.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
Helene dumped 30 inches of rain in Transylvania County, where the bridge is located, creating torrents of debris that slammed bridges for days.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 4 Dec. 2025
The death of Banda Amidst the torrents, Arisu follows the sound of Usagi’s voice, as they are both swept towards a watery vortex that leads to the world of the dead.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
The bulls got a dovish turn from the Federal Reserve without much noticeable slowing in growth, with stock indexes at a record, credit markets blissfully sedate and capital investments running in torrents into the economy.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torrents
floods
Noun
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Marketing for top sports books like DraftKings and FanDuel floods the airwaves and casts a giant net for customers that critics say has lured in high schoolers and younger college students alongside those legally allowed to bet.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
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And fire ants use their waxy, water-repellent coating and textured exoskeletons to trap air; during floods, thousands cling together to make buoyant, living rafts that can survive 12 days and possibly longer.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torrents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torrents. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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