SPATE Synonyms: 219 Similar and Opposite Words

spate

noun

ˈspāt

Definition of spate

as in flood

a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms a spate of words has been published on this controversial topic

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in loads

a considerable amount an off-color remark that drew a spate of complaints from TV viewers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of spate With the creator economy continuing to boom, more digital talent is looking for management and guidance, leading to spate of agencies expanding over recent months. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026 Even so, 2026, which, thus far, has featured five lethal heat waves and a historic spate of destructive wildfires, has triggered alarm across the Continent, and beyond. — Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2026 Over the last ten years, there have been a spate of memoirs about wild swimming penned by women around the UK and Ireland, many of which appeared in 2017, meaning they must have all been written concurrently. — Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026 OpenAI is unveiling new, stronger security safeguards around its training and testing in light of new model capabilities and a spate of incidents in which artificial intelligence systems hacked into other companies. — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spate

Noun

Flood warning notices were sent to people's phones throughout Sunday morning, as rescue crews worked to clear a major highway connecting Kathmandu to one of the areas worst-hit by Wednesday's catasrophic floods.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
Many of the tracks featured on the project are also declining, which is common after a blockbuster album floods the rankings with new hits.

— Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of flood

Noun

Instead, Hongqi said the solar roof could help supply lower-voltage electrical loads, including air conditioning, refrigerators and the vehicle’s sentry or monitoring systems.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Together, Jaybush, Brad Chambers, and the American Heavy Moving team figured out a route through the city that avoided street trees, tight turns, and roads that run above old, fragile sewer pipes, which aren’t rated for heavy loads.

— Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of loads

Noun

Rescue teams and military helicopters searched Thursday for hundreds of missing people along the Nepal-China border, where a deadly torrent of water and mud several stories high swept through communities a day earlier following a glacier collapse.

— Shristi Kafle, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
Shortly after their border crossing Wednesday, a towering torrent of water, rock and mud tore through the same Himalayan corridor.

— Laura Saravia, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of torrent

Noun

Deutsche downgrades Novo Nordisk to sell from hold Deutsche cited a slew of negative catalysts for the rating change.

— Michael Bloom, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Daredevil originally debuted on Netflix; however, after Disney+ launched, a slew of Marvel series on Netflix reverted to the Mouse House’s streaming service in mid-March 2022.

— Zac Ntim, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of slew

Noun

One of the rentable rooms is the bank vault, which still has its six-ton door and reinforced concrete walls.

— Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2026
Last year, the Swiss village of Blatten was completely buried after a glacier collapsed, sending millions of tons of ice and rock down mountainside.

— Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of ton

Noun

On her solo recordings at the time, Parton included a raft of songs about poor children in trouble.

— RJ Smith, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
The decline in the rial comes as the US Treasury plans a new raft of sanctions against Iran, and amid a worsening economic crisis in Iran.

— Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of raft

Noun

But getting to these moments means being okay with being confused, and that’s because season 2 really ratchets up the complexity primarily by introducing a whole bunch of new characters, most of whom are variants of existing ones.

— Andrew Webster, The Verge, 28 Aug. 2026
Of the recent tide of Gen-Z offerings, this is the best of the bunch, with its mix of absurdist humor and heartfelt sentiment.

— Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of bunch

Browse Nearby Words

spat

spate

spates

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Spate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spate. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of spate

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes