Meaning & use
tsunami
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A very large ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a tsunami' or 'tsunamis'.
Patterns
- a tsunami hits something
- a tsunami warning
- caused by a tsunami
The tsunami destroyed hundreds of homes along the coast.
A massive tsunami struck the island after the earthquake.
Scientists issued a tsunami warning for the entire region.
nouncountablefigurative
A sudden, overwhelming increase or movement of something.
Grammar: Used figuratively; often followed by 'of' and a noun.
Patterns
- a tsunami of something
The country faced a tsunami of debt after the crisis.
A tsunami of complaints flooded the company's inbox.
Word forms
| plural | tsunamis |
|---|
Common combinations
- tsunami warning
- The tsunami warning was lifted after several hours.
- tsunami wave
- The tsunami wave reached heights of over 30 meters.
- tsunami relief
- International tsunami relief efforts began immediately.
- tsunami hit
- The tsunami hit the coast with little warning.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tidal wave
- Older and less accurate term; still used in everyday speech but avoided by scientists because tsunamis are not caused by tides.
Word family
- tsunamic adjective
- Rare; relating to a tsunami. Usually replaced by 'tsunami' as a noun modifier.
Commonly confused: tsunami or tidal wave?
tsunami vs tidal wave
Often used as a synonym, but strictly a tidal wave is caused by tides, while a tsunami is caused by seismic activity.
Practice
The earthquake triggered a _____ that swept away entire villages.
Choose one answer.
An underwater earthquake causes a tsunami. 'Tidal wave' is less precise and not caused by earthquakes. 'Typhoon' and 'hurricane' are storms, not waves.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tsunami”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.