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rockfall

American  
[rok-fawl] / ˈrɒkˌfɔl /

noun

  1. an act or instance of the falling of rock, as in a cave-in or an avalanche.

  2. a mass of rocks that have fallen.

    to be trapped under a rockfall.


Etymology

Origin of rockfall

First recorded in 1920–25; rock 1 + fall

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.

But many locals understand there’s always the looming threat of another rockfall or landslide, particularly during a rainy winter, as this one has been.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2026

Other wider sections of the Radical Road would have a sloped earth embankment built to catch any rockfall.

From BBC • Nov. 11, 2025

The Radical Road has been regularly temporarily closed after significant volumes of rockfall over the last century, including a 100-tonne fall in 2011.

From BBC • Nov. 11, 2025

Before the rain, workers found more than 20 locations along Topanga Canyon Boulevard that required debris flow barriers and culvert replacements, along with other safety measures like rockfall cable mesh.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2025

He heard Ron give a strangled cheer, and they turned the next bend to see his eager face staring through the sizable gap he had managed to make in the rockfall.

From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling