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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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
as in to fall
to fall down in a large mass
The snow avalanched down the mountainside.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of avalanche
Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Part of the motel was collapsed into an avalanche of broken lumber and debris.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for avalanche
Noun
His pepper sauce is more jus than cream, but plenty rich, with an avalanche of cognac and veal stock and plenty of both black and green peppercorns.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Part of the motel was collapsed into an avalanche of broken lumber and debris.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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
See All Example Sentences for avalanche
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avalanche
Noun
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Mike Minogue has won the Republican endorsement for Massachusetts Governor in a landslide victory, taking in a whopping 70% of the votes.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Aid agencies say Israeli security restrictions have tied their hands, creating difficult security barriers that have limited the influx of aid.—
Matt Bradley,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
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After experiencing soaring housing costs and an influx of tourists, the city of Athens, Greece, is considering stricter regulations, Euronews reported.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
His portfolio fell 44% in the dot-com crash, and sustained a 40% loss in 2008.—
Terry Savage,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Lee then came up to the plate and fell behind in the count 1-2.—
Tony Gleason,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
With most municipalities at or exceeding flood levels, here is where things stood as of week’s end and what was being affected by the high water.—
Mike Danahey,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Keep reading for more information on where to park in Miami in the event of a flood threat such as a hurricane.—
Jennifer Sangalang,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Use it as a shoe rack in an entryway, a spot to display potted plants, or a pantry organizer for overflow.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Many do hire more doctors and nurses and orderlies in the ER to confront the overflow.—
Elisabeth Rosenthal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Steer clear of puddles - Driving into puddles or low areas of rainwater can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Steer clear of puddles - Driving into puddles or low areas of rainwater can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Despite his team’s steady slide in the standings, Flagg kept making history a year after leading Duke to the Final Four as just the fourth freshman to be named AP men’s basketball player of the year.—
Schuyler Dixon,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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But this focus on reforming the judiciary, combined with the politics of the period, meant that comparatively little attention was paid to the other two branches of government—and, in particular, to the slide toward rule by presidential fiat.—
Gregg Nunziata,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Abrecht said that some ways, the organizations running the alliance were in a strong position to face the deluge of arrests that came from Midway Blitz.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Another entry in our recent deluge of ironic gorefests, Over Your Dead Body doesn’t really give us anything new, although for its first half at least, the picture gets by on some verve and a modicum of intelligence.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Avalanche.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avalanche. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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