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
This tsunami has been a long time in building, from the 1990s when only about 10 or 20% of the top 30 films at the global box office were based on existing IP, to approaching 90 percent in the current decade.
—
Mark Schilling, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025
One of the biggest dangers when an earthquake occurs offshore is the potential of a tsunami.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
If such a enormous volume of rock, soil and debris falls into a deep body of water, whether a glacial lake or the ocean, the result is a dangerous tsunami.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Studies have shown that a quake of that enormous size could cause shaking for up to 5 minutes, with most damage in Oregon and Washington, and trigger a tsunami wave up to 100 feet high.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tsunami
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Mark Schilling, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025
One of the biggest dangers when an earthquake occurs offshore is the potential of a tsunami.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
If such a enormous volume of rock, soil and debris falls into a deep body of water, whether a glacial lake or the ocean, the result is a dangerous tsunami.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Studies have shown that a quake of that enormous size could cause shaking for up to 5 minutes, with most damage in Oregon and Washington, and trigger a tsunami wave up to 100 feet high.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tsunami
Cite this Entry
“Tsunami.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tsunami. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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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