flash flood

American  

noun

1. a sudden and destructive rush of water down a narrow gully or over a sloping surface, caused by heavy rainfall.

---

flash flood British  

noun

1. a sudden short-lived torrent, usually caused by a heavy storm, esp in desert regions

---

flash flood Scientific  

/ flăsh /

1. A sudden, localized flood of great volume and short duration, typically caused by unusually heavy rain in a semiarid area. Flash floods can reach their peak volume in a matter of a few minutes and often carry large loads of mud and rock fragments.

---

Synonym Usage

See flood.

Etymology

Origin of flash flood

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Authorities warn that the same storm system is now threatening other islands, with flash flood alerts and evacuation warnings issued for parts of Maui, Molokai and Lanai.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2026

Google said the Southern African Development Community used the tool to pick up an imminent flash flood in Mozambique.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

The state-owned electricity company Perusahaan Listrik Negara said in a statement Wednesday that it had deployed personnel to gradually restore power supplies after a flash flood caused the collapse of a transmission tower.

From Barron's • Nov. 27, 2025

The National Weather Service has canceled the flash flood warning for much of Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 16, 2025

Instead of feeling distraught over this turn of events, moreover, McCandless was exhilarated: He saw the flash flood as an opportunity to shed unnecessary baggage.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

Related Words

• deluge
• torrent