spates

noun

plural of spate
1
as in floods
a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms a spate of words has been published on this controversial topic

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in loads
a considerable amount an off-color remark that drew a spate of complaints from TV viewers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 spates Markets also have been wavering from spates of heavy selling of stocks in companies linked to the boom in artificial intelligence. — ABC News, 10 June 2026 When spates of violence like that occur, Norman said the department increases patrols in that area, drawing on resources from outside the area to do so. — David Clarey, jsonline.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spates
  1. floods
  2. loads
  3. torrents
  4. dozens
  5. tons
  6. piles
  7. deals
  8. hundreds
Noun
  • In Sakarya province, around 150 kilometers (93 miles) east of Istanbul, a two-story house that was built on a riverbed collapsed in the floods, HaberTurk television reported.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • With homes nearly toppling into the ocean and back-to-back floods and hurricanes amplifying our sense of dread, keeping track of all things El Niño can be overwhelming.
    — Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of floods
Noun
  • The deck replacement is necessary because traffic loads on the span have become increasingly heavy, and salt air has eroded bridge materials.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • According to Formlabs, this improves strength, toughness, heat resistance, and resistance to gradual deformation under sustained loads, while producing a harder, less tacky surface.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of loads
Noun
  • Few of her words survived the torrents of sound in which they were immersed; as with certain Grouper recordings, the lyrics emerged as texture more than syntax.
    — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Such terrain is already conducive to flash flooding, sudden torrents that can sweep down canyons and other low-lying areas with little warning.
    — Megan Janetsky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of torrents
Noun
  • Bajaria’s foresight was sharper, investing in local language productions and building up Netflix’s global presence (almost two dozen international offices were opened during Bajaria’s reign).
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Nearly a dozen people close to Trump cast doubt on reports of tension that Politico published on Thursday.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of dozens
Noun
  • At that rate, removing one billion tons a year would consume almost 8 percent of all the electricity produced worldwide.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • For context, burning fossil fuels produced about 38 billion tons in 2025.
    — Scott K. Johnson, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of tons
Noun
  • The Rest and Relax Inn in Pensacola, Florida, was surrounded by piles of debris after it was stripped of roofing materials during a heavy hit from the hurricane last night.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Pictures show divers working among piles of ancient pottery, with ceramic plates and bowls scattered across the sandy seabed.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of piles
Noun
  • Niinami was a dynamic, “hands-onâ€� leader, integrating deals like the 2014 acquisition of Jim Beam bourbon while family chairman Nobutada Saji “kept our corporate culture,â€� Torii says.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Creator deals unveiled at the market included Endemol Shine Brasil’s pact with Latino creator house Grupo Podpah.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of deals
Noun
  • As a major bloc that has been able to apply pressure, the union has thwarted several efforts by Mamdani’s predecessors to ban the attraction, as hundreds of carriage operators make a living operating the buggies.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation on Monday into an overnight cyberattack on refrigeration systems at hundreds of French supermarkets.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of hundreds

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Cite this Entry

“Spates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spates. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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