landslide

American  

[land-slahyd] / ˈlændˌslaɪd /

noun

landslides plural

1. the downward falling or sliding of a mass of soil, detritus, or rock on or from a steep slope.

2. the mass itself.

3. an election in which a particular victorious candidate or party receives an overwhelming mass or majority of votes.

   the 1936 landslide for Roosevelt.

4. any overwhelming victory.

   She won the contest by a landslide.

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verb (used without object)

landslid, landslid, landslidden, landsliding

1. to come down in or as in a landslide.

2. to win an election by an overwhelming majority.

landslide British  

/ ˈlændˌslaɪd /

noun

1. Also called: landslip. 

   1. the sliding of a large mass of rock material, soil, etc, down the side of a mountain or cliff

   2. the material dislodged in this way

2. 1. an overwhelming electoral victory

   2. ( as modifier )

      a landslide win

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landslide Scientific  

/ lănd′slīd′ /

1. The rapid downward sliding of a mass of earth and rock. Landslides usually move over a confined area. Many kinds of events can trigger a landslide, such as the oversteepening of slopes by erosion associated with rivers, glaciers, or ocean waves; heavy snowmelt which saturates soil and rock; or earthquakes that lead to the failure of weak slopes.

2. The mass of soil and rock that moves in this way.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• landslides
  plural

Etymology

Origin of landslide

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40; land + slide

Explanation

When dirt and rock from a mountainside are sliding down, call it a landslide. Another kind of landslide takes place when one candidate soundly defeats another in an election. With either type of landslide, it's probably safest to stay out of the way! The political meaning of landslide is commonly used, but it's not the word's original definition. A geographical landslide occurs when a huge amount of earth slides down a slope or mountain, usually displacing rocks and vegetation and often houses and buildings as well. Landslides are caused by erosion, heavy rain, and earthquakes, among other events, and they're disruptive enough to give rise to the figurative meaning.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

landslide landslides landsliding

In November 2025, Abigail Spanberger won Virginia’s governorship in a landslide after promising to make data centers “pay their own way and their fair share.”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

While extra rain can bring flooding and landslide risks, it can also keep vegetation moist, lowering the potential for wildfires.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

He replaced Rachel Reeves, who had served as Sir Keir Starmer's chancellor since Labour's 2024 landslide election win.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Burnham was asked to form a government by King Charles III after Keir Starmer resigned, lasting only two years in office despite handing the Labour Party a landslide victory in general elections in 2024.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

Someone else had heard that a landslide could send all the water in Spirit Lake down into the valley.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Speeding up the process can be life-saving, with such forecasts being essential for everything from agriculture and hydropower to protecting people from natural hazards like floods, storms and landslides.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

At least 25 people have died on California beaches due to coastal landslides, and many in San Diego’s North County are still reeling from a 2019 bluff collapse that killed three women in Encinitas.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

Bavi is expected to dump up to a metre of rain, raising concerns about potential flooding and landslides.

From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026

For the southern part of the state, that means a higher chance of above-average rainfall, risking a winter of flash floods and landslides.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

There are remnants of landslides running down the inside of toilet bowls.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

“Even a moderate earthquake could cause a local-source tsunami from submarine landsliding in Monterey Bay,” public documents say.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2025

“The weaker alluvial sediments can amplify shaking, and mountains are vulnerable to landsliding, including along the roads that lead to mountain villages.”

From National Geographic ● Sep. 11, 2023

"When the glaciers melted the sediment was no longer supported by the ice margins, so in places it can be susceptible to landsliding."

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2020

Says Norge President Judson S. Sayre: "The way orders are landsliding, we could be sold out for the year by October 15."

From Time Magazine Archive

Related Words

• avalanche
• mudslide