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, 13 Sep. 2025
Earthquakes’ sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Earthquakes’ sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avalanches
Noun
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Multiple landslides in the area have forced the suspension of train traffic for months at a time in recent years.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
During 2021-23, when there were record influxes of immigrants, the United States also had record low unemployment.—
Suzanne Gamboa,
NBC news,
21 Aug. 2025
-
There’s a sense in the industry that the chart rankings are swayed by sudden influxes of subscribers rather than total audience.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, Múlafossur Waterfall tumbles into the Atlantic below—its roar softened by Northern Fulmars wheeling overhead.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
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At only 20 feet high, Abrams Falls’ stature isn’t its most impressive quality; however, the sheer force of water that tumbles down it is an experience to enjoy with several senses—certainly sight, but also sound and feel too.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Deadly floods in Asia have devastated crops, crippling already fragile food production.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
When heavy rain occurs, there is a potential for flooding, particularly in areas that are low-lying or prone to floods.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This would prevent combined sewer overflows, which is when sewage floods area stormwater lines and deposits into local waterbodies.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Sep. 2025
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Since 1995, the sewerage district has invested more than $580 million in green infrastructure and flood management projects to improve the landscape's ability to hold onto water, minimizing overflows.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The 135 passengers evacuated down the plane’s emergency slides and were bussed to the terminal.—
Aaron Cooper,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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Unlike Disneyland or Disney World, there is no theme park, but the resort boasts a mini water park with slides and a lazy river for all ages to enjoy.—
Essence,
Essence,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Flash floods are usually characterized by raging torrents after heavy rains.—
AZCentral.com,
AZCentral.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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The valley floor hums with cowbells and the distant whir of paragliders circling above alpine meadows—as Trümmelbach’s glacial torrents roar through limestone caverns.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Fall foliage appears when leaves change from green to yellow, orange, and red, then falls from the trees, said Brandon Fuller, a doctoral candidate and lecturer in the biology department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC).—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
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If the neighbor is smoking weed on private property doesn’t belong to them or their neighbor, Rosenthal said the responsibility to take action falls on the landlord.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Avalanches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avalanches. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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