landslide
Americannoun
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the downward falling or sliding of a mass of soil, detritus, or rock on or from a steep slope.
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the mass itself.
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an election in which a particular victorious candidate or party receives an overwhelming mass or majority of votes.
the 1936 landslide for Roosevelt.
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any overwhelming victory.
She won the contest by a landslide.
verb (used without object)
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to come down in or as in a landslide.
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to win an election by an overwhelming majority.
noun
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Also called: landslip.
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the sliding of a large mass of rock material, soil, etc, down the side of a mountain or cliff
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the material dislodged in this way
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an overwhelming electoral victory
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( as modifier )
a landslide win
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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.
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The mass of soil and rock that moves in this way.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of landslide
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.
Vocabulary lists containing landslide
Physical Geography - Introductory
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Physical Geography - Middle School
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Physical Geography - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But the recall passed in a landslide, and withstood a legal challenge by the city that went to a state appeals court.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
In a report released this month, scientists shared a proof of concept and found that there are remarkably reliable ways to detect a coastal landslide well before it happens.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
On 18 March 2024, Putin claimed a landslide victory which ushered in a fifth term in office.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Following the 1997 Labour landslide, she served under William Hague as shadow health secretary 1998-1999 and shadow home secretary 1999 - 2001.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Debris from the landslide also dammed two creeks, South Fork Castle Creek and Coldwater Creek, and created two new lakes: Castle Lake and Coldwater Lake.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
That winter brought the second-rainiest three-day period for downtown L.A. since recordkeeping began in 1877, and hundreds of landslides were reported around L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 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
More rain is forecast for the coming days, with authorities issuing warnings for more landslides and floods, and evacuating families in high risk areas.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Earlier, officials said other landslides had killed at least eight Rohingya refugees, including five children, since Sunday.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
The first landslides and Spirit Lake Fifteen seconds after the earthquake, the bulge on the north face of Mount St. Helens broke loose and began to slide down the mountain.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
“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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
