: a moving mass of soil made fluid by rain or melting snow
also
: lahar
Examples of mudflow in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Intense rainfall, as common in tropical latitudes, and water vapor in the eruption column can mix with volcanic ash and debris, forming deadly mudflows called lahars by geologists after an Indonesian word for ravines on the slopes of a volcano.
—
David Bressan, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
This will help firefighters extinguish the fires still burning, however, may trigger mudflows in the areas that have been scorched in the blazes.
—Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
On Sunday, portions of the Pacific coast Highway in Los Angeles County were closed after mudflows hit Topanga Canyon, according to the California Department of Transportation.
—Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Pyroclastic flows and mudflows, or lahars, could affect the upper Chakachatna River valley.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
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David Bressan, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
This will help firefighters extinguish the fires still burning, however, may trigger mudflows in the areas that have been scorched in the blazes.
—Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
On Sunday, portions of the Pacific coast Highway in Los Angeles County were closed after mudflows hit Topanga Canyon, according to the California Department of Transportation.
—Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Pyroclastic flows and mudflows, or lahars, could affect the upper Chakachatna River valley.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mudflow
Cite this Entry
“Mudflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mudflow. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mudflow
noun
mud·flow
ˈməd-ˌflō 
: a moving mass of mud made up of soil and rainwater or melted snow
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