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avalanche

avalanche

24 5.1
A sudden large number of messages or requests that arrive at once
  • noun
  • /ˈæv.ə.læntʃ/
: avalancha
  • The scientist received an avalanche of emails from researchers around the world in response to her groundbreaking study.

It may have the effect of eliciting a an avalanche of sympathy.

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Examples

  • Around the country, an avalanche of public-sector bargaining laws followed.

    Academic text (2010)
  • The other thing is that there has been, as you know, this avalanche of new scientific discoveries that have validated ancient wisdom.

  • And you are under an avalanche of people who just want your help.

  • That is an avalanche of historical data.

  • So this started an avalanche of activity, all these fast food.

  • It's an avalanche of flavor.

  • This small, but extremely dangerous, bill has opened a door to a potential avalanche of socialist medical spending.

  • Your Honor, there is an avalanche of evidence against Miss Fleming.

  • I can imagine an avalanche of lawsuits and debts.

  • We should have so many damn transactions that anyone nosy enough to investigate will be buried under an avalanche of detail.

Synonyms

flood
vsavalanche
82 2.4

A very large number of things that arrive suddenly

highlights sudden overwhelming arrival rather than gradual increase
onslaught
vsavalanche
41 7.6

A sudden violent attack, often by soldiers or severe weather

is used for sudden overwhelming amounts without the attack focus
explosion
vsavalanche
36 3.0

A sudden strong burst of emotion or noise

focuses on sudden overwhelming numbers appearing at once rather than an outburst
eruption
vsavalanche
13 4.3

A sudden violent outburst of feeling or action

focuses on mass arrival and scale rather than harm or damage
deluge
vsavalanche
10 6.8

A very large amount of something that arrives at once

focuses more on sudden appearance and the high number
cascade
vsavalanche
8 4.8

A sudden large flow of things like tears or sparks

is about a sudden mass appearing together rather than a flowing sequence
blizzard
vsavalanche
7 3.3

A sudden large amount of problems or messages that is hard to deal with

highlights general sudden overwhelming quantity rather than unpleasant focus
inundation
vsavalanche
1 7.2

A very large number of things that arrive at the same time

stresses sudden arrival as well as great quantity

Antonyms

31 4.4

A situation where there is not enough of something people need

5 7.9

A decrease in size, amount, or importance

Compounds

1 9.9

A plant that lives for many years with white flowers often with orange spots near melting snow

How Overwhelming

deluge
10 6.8
avalanche
24 5.1
flood
82 2.4
stream
261 1.0
to trickle
81 3.4

Surface Forms

avalanche singular
avalanches plural

Etymology

Avalanche comes from an old French mountain word aval meaning 'down', and is related to the English word valley. Picture a huge fall that buries things, and you will see why an avalanche of messages or complaints means a sudden, overwhelming flood of them.