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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Dissimilar Words
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, 12 Jan. 2026
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center is reminding skiers that the potential for avalanches remains high in some areas after a skier was injured on Saturday.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
Several incidents have made national headlines over the last year, including two separate avalanches in Oregon and California in February 2025 that killed three skiers.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 11 Jan. 2026
The Hornbein and Japanese Couloirs are defined by their steep, icy, and narrow conditions and the high risk of avalanches.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for avalanches
Noun
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Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
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In San Bernardino, while spared major flooding and landslides in this latest bout of rain, Highway 38, a major road into Big Bear, is still under repair following a massive mudslide in September.—
Noun
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Many of the visitors interviewed by The Denver Post lived near ski resorts and national parks due to seasonal influxes in tourists and labor needs.—
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Those hedges are likely boosting foreign markets, which are smaller and more easily moved upward by influxes of new money.—
Verb
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After some careful shaking, the rabbit finally tumbles out of the hose.—
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The glass tumbles day and night in the waves against the pebbles and sand.—
Noun
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Southern California is prone to different types of disasters from strong winds, earthquakes, floods and wildfires.—
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An estimated 440 deaths are attributable to the Los Angeles wildfires in January, and more than 1,750 people were killed in December floods and landslides in southeast Asia.—
Noun
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The buildup can also clog sewage systems, leading to overflows that send raw sewage into rivers, lakes, and oceans.—
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Officials at the Water Reclamation Authority are pursuing new goals after the utility was officially released last year from a pair of longstanding legal agreements that required the utility to address sewer overflows, leading to major investments across the system.—
Verb
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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.—
Noun
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Ice Castles in Silverton and Cripple Creek are a beloved stop for Coloradans and visitors to celebrate winter with slides, towers, tunnels and caverns.—
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At the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, ice artists create walk-through castles with tunnels, slides and frozen fountains etched into natural-looking formations.—
Noun
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The report alleges the scrape includes 256 million rows of track metadata and 86 million audio files, to be distributed on P2P networks in bulk torrents totaling roughly 300 terabytes.—
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Officials have conducted dozens of water rescues as debris and mudslides have closed highways and raging torrents have washed out roads and bridges.—
Cite this Entry
“Avalanches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avalanches. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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