tsunami

noun

Definition of tsunaminext
as in surge
a very high, large wave in the ocean that is usually caused by an earthquake under the sea and that can cause great destruction when it reaches land The coastline will suffer devastating damage if a tsunami ever hits it.

Related Words

Relevance

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 tsunami But in the end, Avila Chevalier won, carried to a narrow victory by the left-wing tsunami that created landslides for the other congressional candidates Mamdani endorsed, Brad Lander and Claire Valdez. — Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 27 June 2026 Two earthquakes rocked Venezuela leaving deadly destruction in its wake and triggering a tsunami advisory in the Caribbean. — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 25 June 2026 The Colombian Maritime Authority said in a statement that the country's Caribbean coast wasn't at risk of a tsunami. — CBS News, 25 June 2026 There is no ongoing tsunami threat, according to the US Tsunami Warning Centers. — Taylor Ward, CNN Money, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tsunami
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tsunami
  1. surge
  2. surf
  3. swell
  4. tidal wave
Noun
  • Cyclospora surges can be tricky to investigate, and food poisoning sources can be hard to establish.
    — Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
  • Georgia is now among many states contending with a surge of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal disease caused by microscopic parasites called cyclospora that can contaminate food and water, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.
    — Alex Nettles, AJC.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of surge
Noun
  • In fact, there are plenty of incredible stretches of sand and surf to explore across the United States, including in Hawaii, Florida, and beyond.
    — Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2026
  • With the longer period swell, the potential for larger surf and a greater risk for rip currents will be likely.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of surf
Noun
  • In Harlem, these new arrivals also encountered swells of Black immigrants from French and British colonial powers, also arriving in search of economic opportunity as well as greater freedom of expression.
    — Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026
  • The beach hazard statements have been in effect mainly due to the strong southerly swells brought by storms that have been ongoing in the south Pacific, sending waves of energy that slam into the West Coast.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 12 July 2026
Definition of swell
Noun
  • Monsanto has faced a tidal wave of litigation in recent years over its Roundup product.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 25 June 2026
  • With a population of over 200 million, any news story generates a tidal wave of jokes, many of them very sharp.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of tidal wave

Browse Nearby Words

tsk-tsks
tsunami
tsunamis
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tsunami.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tsunami. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on tsunami

Nglish: Translation of tsunami for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tsunami

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All