SPATES Synonyms: 218 Similar and Opposite Words

spates

noun

plural of spate

as in floods

a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms a spate of words has been published on this controversial topic

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in loads

a considerable amount an off-color remark that drew a spate of complaints from TV viewers

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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 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

Noun

The droughts, floods, and crop yield reductions brought on by El Niño represent one of the primary risk factors.

— , CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
The advancing gas front improves sweep efficiency by penetrating tight, unreached reservoir compartments that standard water-injection floods bypass during secondary extraction campaigns.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of floods

Noun

Instead, Hongqi said the solar roof could help supply lower-voltage electrical loads, including air conditioning, refrigerators and the vehicle’s sentry or monitoring systems.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Together, Jaybush, Brad Chambers, and the American Heavy Moving team figured out a route through the city that avoided street trees, tight turns, and roads that run above old, fragile sewer pipes, which aren’t rated for heavy loads.

— Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of loads

Noun

The rocks and melted water suddenly swelled the rivers in the valleys below, causing torrents of water that swept buildings, bridges and earth downstream in Tibet and Nepal.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Footage shows torrents of mud and debris sweeping through settlements and carrying buildings and vehicles with them.

— Milad Haghani, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of torrents

Noun

Ross beat Secker by less than three dozen votes to become the GOP candidate in the House contest in Missouri’s 161st District.

— Ava Kelley, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
More than two dozen law enforcement officials, from crime analysts to chiefs of police, have been charged with violating their oaths of office and conducting unauthorized searches within the Flock Safety system in Georgia in the past few months.

— Irene Wright, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of dozens

Noun

The retailer’s massive shoe collection has tons of trip-ready styles, including water-resistant mules, best-selling sneakers, and flats designed for on-the-go wear.

— Kaitlin Gates, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026
As that year’s freshman class president, Miles’ father, George, was instrumental in assembling some 600 freshmen to lug into place 300 tons of loose rock left over from the stadium excavation.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of tons

Noun

Glossy tomatoes on the vine, a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano (party favors), piles of lemons, platters of antipasti, and dishes arriving from friends’ kitchens bring more life and color to a room than anything overly decorative ever could.

— Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Their charred carcasses litter the steep lanes leading to the villages, while the houses have been reduced to nothing more than piles of smoking ashes.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of piles

Noun

That happened again when the five other conservatives – but not Roberts and the three liberals − said the administration could slash hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of health research funding.

— Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Reaching the tens of millions of barrels and hundreds of millions of dollars promised by the NABEP agreement will require a multi-decade operation, and partnerships with US and European energy companies.

— Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of hundreds

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“Spates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spates. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of spates

noun

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