av·a·lanche
ˈa-və-ˌlanch 
1
: a large mass of snow, ice, earth, rock, or other material in swift motion down a mountainside or over a precipice
2
: a sudden great or overwhelming rush or accumulation of something
hit by an avalanche of paperwork
3
physics
: a cumulative process in which photons or accelerated charge carriers produce additional photons or charge carriers through collisions (as with gas molecules)
Examples of avalanche in a Sentence
Noun
He was buried by an avalanche.
Recent Examples on the Web
Brian Anthony Hernandez, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024
Always traveling with a partner also helps to mitigate, but not eliminate, avalanche risks.
—Josh Laskin, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2024
Roof avalanches can occur during large snowstorms or when there is a rapid rise in temperature after an intense storm.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 20 Mar. 2024
While some of those were back open Friday, Eldora Mountain, near Nederland, was urging people to stay home and be patient until crews could dig out lifts, do avalanche control and clear parking lots and an access road.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 16 Mar. 2024
The beloved chain is apparently fielding an avalanche of calls from shoppers double-checking that the bags are in stock.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 8 Mar. 2024
The center issued an avalanche watch until 7 a.m. Sunday.
—Phil Helsel, NBC News, 1 Mar. 2024
With a dangerous, life-threatening blizzard bringing strong winds, frigid temperatures and an avalanche warning, even some Northern California ski resorts are urging people to stay away for now.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
Earthquakes’ sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
Michael C Grant, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
James and the Lakers were getting avalanched, but a run to undo a 17-point deficit got them to within a point before the Memphis Grizzlies smothered them with a barrage of baskets.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2023
The hillsides along Summit Lake will avalanche.
—John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Apr. 2022
That a bunch of boys will insincerely avalanche into girls sports in order to gain some competitive advantage, to slake some hearty thirst for winning?
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 Feb. 2022
And many of those paths, some of which are accessible from the Humphreys Peak trail, will avalanche every year.
—Shanti Lerner, The Arizona Republic, 4 Aug. 2021
Many of these rocks have avalanched from the walls of steep mountains.
—Anchorage Daily News, 16 Nov. 2019
Early pioneers of universality, led by the physicist Leo Kadanoff, discovered that systems as different as avalanching sand piles and magnetizing metals all operate on multiple scales.
—Quanta Magazine, 31 July 2019
Just look at any photo of Gritty: his lidless, spinning eyes; his inert tongue; his unshaven beard which avalanches over his collarbone, like a Portland bartender’s.
—Jason Gay, WSJ, 27 Sep. 2018
Noun
The American teenager who died in an avalanche in Switzerland on Monday while on spring break has been identified as Illinois high school student Aleksas Beiga.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024
Always traveling with a partner also helps to mitigate, but not eliminate, avalanche risks.
—Josh Laskin, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2024
Roof avalanches can occur during large snowstorms or when there is a rapid rise in temperature after an intense storm.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 20 Mar. 2024
While some of those were back open Friday, Eldora Mountain, near Nederland, was urging people to stay home and be patient until crews could dig out lifts, do avalanche control and clear parking lots and an access road.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 16 Mar. 2024
The beloved chain is apparently fielding an avalanche of calls from shoppers double-checking that the bags are in stock.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 8 Mar. 2024
The center issued an avalanche watch until 7 a.m. Sunday.
—Phil Helsel, NBC News, 1 Mar. 2024
With a dangerous, life-threatening blizzard bringing strong winds, frigid temperatures and an avalanche warning, even some Northern California ski resorts are urging people to stay away for now.
—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024
Earthquakes’ sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
Verb
The distinctive light green of aspen leaves in summer, set off from the deep greens of conifers such as lodgepole pines, frequently marks the zones where winter snow is unstable and tends to avalanche.
—Michael C Grant, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
James and the Lakers were getting avalanched, but a run to undo a 17-point deficit got them to within a point before the Memphis Grizzlies smothered them with a barrage of baskets.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2023
The hillsides along Summit Lake will avalanche.
—John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 10 Apr. 2022
That a bunch of boys will insincerely avalanche into girls sports in order to gain some competitive advantage, to slake some hearty thirst for winning?
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 Feb. 2022
And many of those paths, some of which are accessible from the Humphreys Peak trail, will avalanche every year.
—Shanti Lerner, The Arizona Republic, 4 Aug. 2021
Many of these rocks have avalanched from the walls of steep mountains.
—Anchorage Daily News, 16 Nov. 2019
Early pioneers of universality, led by the physicist Leo Kadanoff, discovered that systems as different as avalanching sand piles and magnetizing metals all operate on multiple scales.
—Quanta Magazine, 31 July 2019
Just look at any photo of Gritty: his lidless, spinning eyes; his inert tongue; his unshaven beard which avalanches over his collarbone, like a Portland bartender’s.
—Jason Gay, WSJ, 27 Sep. 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'avalanche.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near avalanche
Cite this Entry
“Avalanche.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/avalanche. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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