1
as in landslides
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 influxes
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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as in tumbles
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 avalanches
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 26 Apr. 2026
What to do in an earthquake Earthquakes’ sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Mark Price
april 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
Analysis of past avalanche accidents has indicated that larger group sizes (4 or more people) have higher chances of being caught in avalanches.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
Last month, at least five people, including an American, were killed in a string of avalanches in western Austria.
—CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
Noun
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 26 Apr. 2026
What to do in an earthquake Earthquakes’ sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Mark Price
april 6, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
Analysis of past avalanche accidents has indicated that larger group sizes (4 or more people) have higher chances of being caught in avalanches.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
Last month, at least five people, including an American, were killed in a string of avalanches in western Austria.
—CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avalanches
Noun
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Southeast Alaska, largely encompassed by a temperate rainforest, is no stranger to landslides.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Several commercial outfits have recently announced big funding influxes aimed at speeding up the development and launch of new orbiting outposts.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The titans of the industry have started investing heavily in purchasing elections through massive influxes of cash.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The flagellar bundle falls apart, and the cell tumbles.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Apr. 2026
-
This setting uses more water and tumbles linens gently to keep them from getting twisted.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Haiti’s recent catastrophic floods have only compounded the country’s overlapping crises.—
Hira Humayun,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The camp plans to implement emergency training and drills for floods, fire and other disasters, but investigators found the lack of previous training was key in the deaths.—
Jim Vertuno,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That can allow attackers to leverage serious vulnerabilities like buffer overflows and memory leaks to compromise devices.—
Nate Anderson,
ArsTechnica,
13 Apr. 2026
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And in places where sewage and rain flow through the same pipes, heavy rains made worse by climate change can make overflows to waterways more frequent and severe.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The former is a ring on the bottom of the rock that skids across the ice, and the latter is a band around the sides of the rock that collides with other rocks (ideally knocking an opponent’s rock off the bull’s-eye or nudging your team’s closer to it).—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Cargo plane skids off runway in Hong Kong An Emirates Boeing 747 cargo plane skidded off the runway after arriving at Hong Kong International Airport and landed in the sea, according to airport authority.—
Clara McMichael,
ABC News,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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While the hotel has no obligation to heed the neighbors’ demands, residents are hopeful that the Fontainebleau will limit the height of its new water slides.—
Aaron Leibowitz,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
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Part of that was a water park with 13 slides, wave pool and what was touted as the tallest water slide in North America at the time at 135 feet.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Spring rains and winter snowmelt have swelled rivers and lakes, forcing torrents of water through Cheboygan County communities on its way to Lake Huron.—
Sarah Brumfield,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The silken charcoal bathrobes are a decadent touch, as are the welcome torrents of piping water that rain from monsoon showers and the wonderful organic soaps.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Avalanches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avalanches. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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