as in surge
a very high, large wave in the ocean that is usually caused by an earthquake under the sea and that can cause great destruction when it reaches land
The coastline will suffer devastating damage if a tsunami ever hits it.
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Recent Examples of tsunami
That timeline makes sense, given that a large tsunami hit New Zealand’s North Island between 6,940 and 7,240 years ago.
—
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 May 2025
Akin to a sensor buoy at sea warning of an oncoming tsunami, DSCOVR provides real-time data on the solar wind, which helps forecasters issue alerts about incoming geomagnetic storms.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 20 May 2025
The 24/7 monitoring centers were already thinly staffed, Allen said, and the further reductions are deeply concerning, especially given the threat of an earthquake and tsunami in the Pacific Northwest.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 20 May 2025
Researchers said 7,000 years ago, a tsunami about 164 feet tall— the height of the Arc de Triomphe, or a giant sequoia — dislodged the enormous rock and moved it 656 feet inland.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tsunami
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 May 2025
Akin to a sensor buoy at sea warning of an oncoming tsunami, DSCOVR provides real-time data on the solar wind, which helps forecasters issue alerts about incoming geomagnetic storms.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 20 May 2025
The 24/7 monitoring centers were already thinly staffed, Allen said, and the further reductions are deeply concerning, especially given the threat of an earthquake and tsunami in the Pacific Northwest.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 20 May 2025
Researchers said 7,000 years ago, a tsunami about 164 feet tall— the height of the Arc de Triomphe, or a giant sequoia — dislodged the enormous rock and moved it 656 feet inland.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tsunami
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tsunami
Noun
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Separate estimates that take into account the full extent of the Biden-era immigration surge put the number as high as 200,000, although that has likely changed in recent months as the Trump administration has dramatically curbed unauthorized border crossings.—
Joseph Lawler,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
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The strands of kelp surfacing on the sand, ripped out by large surf surges, couldn’t serve as a better backdrop for the Laguna Ocean Foundation’s annual KelpFest planned for Saturday, June 7, at Main Beach Park.—
Erika I. Ritchie,
Oc Register,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Its beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and Block Island Sound are more rugged, and visitors are more likely to find surf shops than posh boutiques.—
Irene S. Levine,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
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These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
Noun
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In 2019, a year after swells of protests swept through universities in Chile, a group of women, many of them blindfolded, took over the streets of Valparaiso, a coastal city in the country, to dance and sing a song that would go on to become an anthem.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
25 May 2025
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The day passes uneventfully — though the swell makes waters choppy, guests are still able to enjoy the water toys.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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So, on paper at least, Mario Kart World seems like a corporate no-brainer: make the game massive and open-world, and wait for the tidal wave of endless sales.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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Missouri: Pollen and the asteroid When an asteroid struck Earth some 66 million years ago, the one blamed for wiping out the dinosaurs, it is believed to have sent a tidal wave crashing onto North America.—
Francisca Oboh Ikuenobe,
The Conversation,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tsunami.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tsunami. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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