as in floods
a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms
the dam broke, unleashing a torrent down the dry riverbed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of torrents
Excessive rain caused torrents of water to wash out homes, damage roads, and threaten to burst a dam, sparking an emergency evacuation of thousands in Oahu on March 20.
—
Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
Lightning made the sky as bright as day, the thunder was a continuous crash, and torrents of rain poured down.
—Doris Decleene, Outdoor Life, 25 Feb. 2026
According to experts, these homes encroach on a path that has carried torrents of water for centuries during periods of heavy rains.
—ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
In 2017, soaking storms led to flooding that caused $100 million in damage in downtown San Jose and the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people when the spillway at Oroville Dam, the nation’s tallest dam, in Butte County, partially collapsed under torrents of water.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Without intervention, water flows off the steep slopes in torrents, rapidly stripping away soil.
—Stephen Acabado, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026
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.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 21 Dec. 2025
Officials have conducted dozens of water rescues as debris and mudslides have closed highways and raging torrents have washed out roads and bridges.
—CBS News, 13 Dec. 2025
Hundreds of people remain missing – likely washed away in rapid torrents of floodwater or buried beneath thick mud and debris.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
Lightning made the sky as bright as day, the thunder was a continuous crash, and torrents of rain poured down.
—Doris Decleene, Outdoor Life, 25 Feb. 2026
According to experts, these homes encroach on a path that has carried torrents of water for centuries during periods of heavy rains.
—ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
In 2017, soaking storms led to flooding that caused $100 million in damage in downtown San Jose and the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people when the spillway at Oroville Dam, the nation’s tallest dam, in Butte County, partially collapsed under torrents of water.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Without intervention, water flows off the steep slopes in torrents, rapidly stripping away soil.
—Stephen Acabado, The Conversation, 15 Jan. 2026
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.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 21 Dec. 2025
Officials have conducted dozens of water rescues as debris and mudslides have closed highways and raging torrents have washed out roads and bridges.
—CBS News, 13 Dec. 2025
Hundreds of people remain missing – likely washed away in rapid torrents of floodwater or buried beneath thick mud and debris.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torrents
floods
Noun
-
When heavy rain occurs, there is a potential for flooding, particularly in areas that are low-lying or prone to floods.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The delays affected a range of disaster-response functions, including housing inspections, temporary sheltering and crisis counseling, and slowed the distribution of aid tied to major events such as the July 2025 Texas floods and Hurricane Helene.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torrents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torrents. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
