landslide
Americannoun
-
landslides
plural
-
the downward falling or sliding of a mass of soil, detritus, or rock on or from a steep slope.
-
the mass itself.
-
an election in which a particular victorious candidate or party receives an overwhelming mass or majority of votes.
the 1936 landslide for Roosevelt.
-
any overwhelming victory.
She won the contest by a landslide.
verb (used without object)
-
to come down in or as in a landslide.
-
to win an election by an overwhelming majority.
noun
-
Also called: landslip.
-
the sliding of a large mass of rock material, soil, etc, down the side of a mountain or cliff
-
the material dislodged in this way
-
-
-
an overwhelming electoral victory
-
( as modifier )
a landslide win
-
-
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.
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Physical Geography - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Physical Geography - High School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
China has warned there is a "high risk" that a lake which formed after the recent landslide near the Nepal-Tibet border may burst, causing a second flood downstream.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
Initial reports of an earthquake led many to believe that a tremor had caused a landslide, which in turn caused the flood that has killed at least 177 people.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
China also reported a landslide, saying a border hub between Tibet and Nepal had been hit by a surge of debris.
From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026
Wednesday’s landslide was so powerful that it triggered a 5.2 magnitude seismic event, according to the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 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
More than 2,400 people were still missing Friday missing and 584 were confirmed dead after flash floods and landslides hit the Nepal-Tibet border.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
The steep slopes and lush valleys below the Himalayan mountain range — home to many of the world’s highest peaks and remaining glaciers — are especially vulnerable to flooding and landslides.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
Herry Kabut, editor-in-chief of local publication Floresa Media, told the BBC that "each resident has set up their own evacuation post" amid blackouts, landslides and roadblocks.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
This comes as record rainfall triggered by back-to-back storms caused widespread flooding and landslides in parts of China, Japan and the Philippines.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The pattern of hummocks in the debris fields around Mount St. Helens after the eruption helped scientists to recognize the signs of landslides at other volcanoes.
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.
