tsunami
noun
tsu·na·mi
(t)su̇-ˈnä-mē 
plural tsunamis also tsunami
: a great sea wave produced especially by submarine earth movement or volcanic eruption : tidal wave
Examples of tsunami in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Indonesia’s meteorological agency lifted its tsunami warning hours after the quake, and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said there was no destructive threat to the country, which is north of the quake’s epicenter.
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ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Kesennuma While hit hard by the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011, this charming port city has bounced back and become one of the region’s most underrated gems.
—Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 1 Apr. 2026
In 2004, an extremely powerful Indian Ocean quake set off a tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Indonesia's Aceh province.
—CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Others see the sea change as less a legal tsunami than a tidal cultural shift — one jurors in New Mexico and California are riding, not speaking into existence.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tsunami
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ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Kesennuma While hit hard by the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011, this charming port city has bounced back and become one of the region’s most underrated gems.
—Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 1 Apr. 2026
In 2004, an extremely powerful Indian Ocean quake set off a tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Indonesia's Aceh province.
—CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Others see the sea change as less a legal tsunami than a tidal cultural shift — one jurors in New Mexico and California are riding, not speaking into existence.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tsunami
Cite this Entry
“Tsunami.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tsunami. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tsunami
noun
tsu·na·mi
(t)su̇-ˈnäm-ē
: a great sea wave produced especially by an earthquake or volcanic eruption under the sea : tidal wave
Etymology
Japanese, from tsu "harbor" + nami "wave"
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