avalanche 1 of 2

noun

Definition of avalanchenext
1
as in landslide
a large mass especially of snow, ice, dirt, or rocks descending from a high place Much of the mountainside was covered by the avalanche.

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Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in influx
a sudden large amount of something that overwhelms After the disaster, the town received an avalanche of letters and donations from supporters and well-wishers.

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Dissimilar Words

avalanche

2 of 2

verb

as in to fall
to fall down in a large mass The snow avalanched down the mountainside.

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Dissimilar Words

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 avalanche
Noun
Nepali climber Nirmal ​Purja, who set a record for the fastest ascent of the world’s 14 highest mountains, died in an avalanche during an expedition in Pakistan, his company said. — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 2 Aug. 2026 An avalanche of pitching injuries created opportunities for different relievers to step forward and earn trust. — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Verb
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 See All Example Sentences for avalanche
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avalanche
  1. landslide
  2. influx
  3. fall
  4. flood
  5. overflow
  6. skid
  7. slide
  8. deluge
Noun
  • Burnham replaced former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who had led both men's Labour Party to a landslide election victory just two years earlier, on July 20.
    — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Exceptionally heavy rainfall, over 43 inches of it in the Big Island’s mountains, set off landslides and flash floods that wiped out roads on the island.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of landslide
Noun
  • Now, some of those concerns are coming from the influx of wearables, namely, smart glasses, and how to go about protecting oneself from being filmed in public.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The sudden influx of heat will be huge, though temporary and unlikely to have lingering effects.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of influx
Verb
  • Brokerages price crypto like an asset class, a few dozen basis points and falling.
    — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Kabita quickly fell pregnant with a daughter of her own, Sonam.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of fall
Noun
  • According to the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, a Beulah man was swept away in fast-moving flood waters on Sunday afternoon.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • But flood waters have now started to recede and the city has reopened some of the flood gates, according to the Indianapolis Department of Public Works.
    — Chandelis Duster, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of flood
Noun
  • Just weeks from now, Mangione is slated to begin his state murder trial, which is expected to draw such massive public interest that the court has planned overflow seating for media and the public.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Residents filled the council meeting, with the overflow attendees directed to other areas of the building after officials said the room had reached its fire marshal capacity.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of overflow
Verb
  • Trent Grisham homered twice and hit a go-ahead double in the seventh inning as the New York Yankees erased an early deficit and pulled away for a 10-5 victory over the skidding Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The bus, which was carrying passengers from Sétif to the Algerian capital, skidded in the locality of El Karma, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Algiers, before plunging into a deep ravine.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Definition of skid
Noun
  • The next slide showed the site transformed into a park, with trees, flowers, permeable pavement, and comfortable seating.
    — Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Jeff McNeil was 4 for 5 with three RBIs including the go-ahead home run as the Athletics snapped a three-game slide with an 8-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of slide
Noun
  • The deluge stranded thousands at Soga Station and Narita Airport during Japan’s busy Bon holiday week, exposing sewer systems overwhelmed by rapid urbanization and prompting emergency evacuations and shelters across Chiba.
    — Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The deluge of executive departures at OpenAI continues, as the company announced Denise Dresser would be leaving yesterday.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of deluge

Browse Nearby Words

avails
avalanche
avalanched
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Cite this Entry

“Avalanche.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avalanche. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on avalanche

Nglish: Translation of avalanche for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about avalanche

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