landfall

noun

land·​fall ˈlan(d)-ˌfȯl How to pronounce landfall (audio)
1
: a sighting of land after a voyage or flight
2
: a reaching of land (as by a traveler, craft, or storm)
3
: the land first sighted on a voyage or flight

Examples of landfall in a Sentence

From the deck of the boat, we saw our first landfall.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The probability of any U.S. landfall is extremely low, the latest AccuWeather forecast says. Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 7 Nov. 2024 The timing of Helene’s and Milton’s respective landfalls, however, could mean a massive or even minimal impact to the October jobs report, economists tell CNN. Alicia Wallace, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024 Days before Rafael's landfall, tens of thousands of people evacuated the eastern province of Guantanamo after a series of storms produced torrential downpours and triggered flooding. Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 7 Nov. 2024 The powerful storm, a Cat 3 at landfall, left millions without power by Thursday morning and had killed at least eight people, per the AP. Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for landfall 

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of landfall was in 1627

Dictionary Entries Near landfall

Cite this Entry

“Landfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landfall. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

landfall

noun
land·​fall ˈlan(d)-ˌfȯl How to pronounce landfall (audio)
1
: a sighting or making of land after a voyage or flight
2
: the land first sighted on a voyage or flight

More from Merriam-Webster on landfall

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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