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

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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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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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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
The avalanche is considered one of the worst disasters in Nepal mountaineering history. — ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026 The avalanche covered the base camp in 14 feet of snow, per The Tourist Times, which cited NNMGA. — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
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 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 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
  • The Mexican navy urged mariners and coastal residents to exercise extreme caution, citing high waves, heavy rain and the risk of rising rivers, flooding and landslides.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The additional heavy rain will increase the risk of landslides and debris flows, especially in areas where landslides have occurred in the past.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of landslide
Noun
  • The influx of business travelers also coincided with strong demand at Singapore's luxury hotels.
    — Jenny Lee,Matthew Tan, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
  • In Ukraine, this can be seen in the influx of American and European weapons and economic, military, and technological support into the country since Russia’s 2022 invasion.
    — Justin Bronk, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of influx
Verb
  • But the opening period didn’t end without a scary moment, as Antetokounmpo fell hard on his back side after being fouled on a dunk attempt late in the first quarter.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Shares of Oracle fell about 9% amid a broader downturn for stocks of top AI stakeholders.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of fall
Noun
  • The cemetery where her family members are buried is one of eight in the flood zone that will have to be exhumed.
    — Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Paraguay has seen the most evacuations from the recent floods.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of flood
Noun
  • The combined sewage-overflow tanks that are supposed to divert sewage from running into the canal won’t be complete until 2029 — a seven-year delay that might require parts of the canal to be re-dredged again to remove the contamination.
    — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026
  • These tunnels will be designed to capture that overflow and serve as massive holding tanks, with the wastewater gradually being treated at ALCOSAN's treatment plant as capacity becomes available.
    — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of overflow
Verb
  • With the stock drop Wednesday, the market cap skidded to around $36 billion.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The car ended up on its side after skidding back into the road.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of skid
Noun
  • The continent’s political leaders must seize the moment to act, and not let this moment of Europtimism slide.
    — Sophie Dembinski, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Also, the fact that planets in this arrangement slide along their orbit and swap positions means that their positions in that orbit change, which, in turn, changes the timing of the transits.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of slide
Noun
  • Earlier this year, Gamage said a critic created a website that included photos of the academics as well as their contact information and social media accounts, resulting in a deluge of angry messages.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The county faced the deluge of lawsuits after a change in state law, known as Assembly Bill 218, allowed people to sue over abuse that took place decades ago.
    — Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 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 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on avalanche

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about avalanche

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