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

Herbert Hoover, who was the secretary of commerce at the time and coordinated federal disaster relief, emerged as a national hero and rode his popularity to a landslide victory in the 1928 presidential election.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

But the 63-year-old ex-lawyer has refused to quit, insisting his landslide election victory over the Conservatives 23 months ago gave him a five-year mandate to govern.

From Barron's • Jun. 19, 2026

As a result, they saw off the challenge of the SDP and laid the foundations for New Labour which, eventually, resulted in the 1997 Blair landslide.

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026

He won in a landslide, and three other members of the hat movement secured seats in the state legislature.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

It was the biggest landslide in human history and carried enough material to bury the whole of Manhattan to a depth of four hundred feet.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• avalanche
• mudslide