landfall

noun

land·​fall ˈlan(d)-ˌfȯl How to pronounce landfall (audio)
1
: a sighting of land after a voyage or flight
2
: a reaching of land (as by a traveler, craft, or storm)
3
: the land first sighted on a voyage or flight

Examples of landfall in a Sentence

From the deck of the boat, we saw our first landfall.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Where Marie could hit Direct landfall of a hurricane-strength Marie is out of the question for California, and there’s only a 10% chance of a direct tropical storm landfall, said UC climate scientist Daniel Swain. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 Winds of 70 mph or more are possible near the center of the storm at landfall, with the storm expected to quickly weaken after moving inland. — Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026 In the modern records kept by the hurricane center and the Hurricane Research Division at the Atlantic Oceanic and Meteorological Laboratory, no hurricane has ever made a direct landfall on the California coast. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 The Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan has effectively shut down, while the Port of Shanghai’s Yangshan and Waigaoqiao terminals are suspending operations as Typhoon Saudel nears landfall in China. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for landfall

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of landfall was in 1627

Phrases Containing landfall

Rhymes for landfall

See All Rhymes for landfall

Browse Nearby Words

landesite
landfall
landfang
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Landfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landfall. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

landfall

noun
land·​fall ˈlan(d)-ˌfȯl How to pronounce landfall (audio)
1
: a sighting or making of land after a voyage or flight
2
: the land first sighted on a voyage or flight
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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