mudflow

noun

mud·​flow ˈməd-ˌflō How to pronounce mudflow (audio)
: a moving mass of soil made fluid by rain or melting snow
also : lahar

Examples of mudflow in a Sentence

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 eruption would cause volcanic mudflows and pyroclastic flows, which are hot, high-speed flows of ash, volcanic rocks and gas. — Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 20 Mar. 2025 The pounding rain raises the possibility of mudflows, which can occur long after a storm passes, according to this ultimate guide to mudflows from Times reporter Rong-Gong Lin II. — Shelby Grad, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025 The city of 10,000 people was damaged in the January fires and then battered by mudflows in the ensuing rains. — Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2025 That can trigger mudflows, where water rushes down only with mud, and more serious debris flows, where water can also pick up rocks, branches and sometimes massive boulders, traveling at speeds exceeding 35 mph. — Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mudflow

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mudflow was in 1869

Rhymes for mudflow

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Browse Nearby Words

mudflat
mudflow
mudge
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Cite this Entry

“Mudflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mudflow. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

mudflow

noun
mud·​flow ˈməd-ˌflō How to pronounce mudflow (audio)
: a moving mass of mud made up of soil and rainwater or melted snow

More from Merriam-Webster on mudflow

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mudflow

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