How to Use pyroclastic in a Sentence

pyroclastic

adjective
  • The ash that fell closer to Spurr remained a hazard for years as it was picked up by strong winds. Closer to the volcano, the eruptions produced pyroclastic flows, lahars (mudflows) and lots of volcanic bombs.
    — Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
  • Unlike pyroclastic flows, which hug the ground, an ash cloud is airborne.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Grey-brown deposits of pyroclastic flows extend from the dome in stark contrast to the snows on its slopes.
    — Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2022
  • The force from these pyroclastic flows formed tsunamis that slammed into nearby islands.
    — Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2023
  • The couple got caught in a pyroclastic flow and died, along with more than three dozen other people in the eruption.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 9 Feb. 2023
  • But there he was hit by the massive stone block -- perhaps a doorjamb -- possibly hurled at him by the force of the pyroclastic flow.
    — CNN, 29 May 2018
  • The man and woman died as a result of being buried by hot gas and volcanic matter, also known as pyroclastic flow.
    — Karen K. Ho, ARTnews.com, 12 Aug. 2024
  • As much as 20% of the island was covered in ash from the pyroclastic flows and fallout from the eruption.
    — Erik Klemetti, Wired News, 2 June 2015
  • But both were equally helpless when the torrent of gas and dust, called a pyroclastic flow, swept down the slopes of Vesuvius.
    — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, 23 Nov. 2020
  • The pyroclastic flow that followed minutes later buried the lodge under 30 feet of ash.
    — Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2022
  • Each time the volcano exploded, hot gas and volcanic matter (called pyroclastic flow) burst into the ocean.
    — Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 6 June 2023
  • The study is one of the first to try and answer this question using satellite mapping of volcanic debris called pyroclastic flows.
    — National Geographic, 24 July 2017
  • The pyroclastic flows themselves, which is what actually killed most of the victims, were well done, Lopes says.
    — Geoffrey Giller, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2014
  • Most of the people were either flash-heated to death from the pyroclastic flow or died from asphyxiation.
    — New York Times, 29 June 2018
  • Lava could conceivably reach the town, but the greater threat there is that an eruption could trigger a pyroclastic flow — a fast-moving cloud of hot ash and gas.
    — The Seattle Times, OregonLive.com, 8 May 2018
  • Unzen would erupt on June 3, killing the Kraffts along with 41 others in a pyroclastic flow.
    — Henry Hullah, CNN, 28 July 2022
  • Some hours later, pyroclastic flows—masses of hot gas and ash—hurtled down the mountain, covering the city and killing any survivors.
    — Byalex Epshtein, science.org, 18 July 2024
  • The collapse of these clouds causes a deadly avalanche of hot rocks, gas, and volcanic ash that races down the mountainside in a deadly pyroclastic flow.
    — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 4 June 2018
  • Then multiple explosions threw pyroclastic flows down its slopes.
    — Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026
  • Ancient eruptions have formed dark layers of lava rock interbedded with pumice and pyroclastic flow deposits.
    — David Bressan, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • All evidence points to an earthquake hitting after the first phase of the eruption, but before the pyroclastic flows swept through the city, the researchers say.
    — Byalex Epshtein, science.org, 18 July 2024
  • The city of Pompeii was covered by ash, then later solidified by pyroclastic flows.
    — ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026
  • But after the eruption buried the trilobites, cool seawater mixed with the hot ash and quickly hardened the pyroclastic flow into a tomb of solid rock.
    — Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 9 July 2024
  • Avalanches of hot gas and debris called pyroclastic flows raced down the mountain, engulfing whole villages at the bottom, Tafreshi said.
    — National Geographic, 26 Aug. 2020
  • The worst of the volcano's impact, lahars and pyroclastic flows, are chain reactions following the fiery eruption.
    — Sarah Gibbens, National Geographic, 4 June 2018
  • These kinds of pyroclastic volcanic eruptions could have conceivably cloaked and preserved ancient organics as well.
    — Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Guatemala’s Fuego volcano eruption on Sunday, which killed at least 75 people, formed a pyroclastic flow.
    — Mahita Gajanan, Time, 6 June 2018
  • But the historic fate of the city, and many of its residents, was sealed hours later with the arrival of pyroclastic flows, fast-moving, superheated clouds of gas and dust.
    — Michael Irving, New Atlas, 19 July 2024
  • During an overflight on 13 May, evidence of pyroclastic flows on the N flank was observed.
    — Erik Klemetti, WIRED, 14 May 2008
  • After a wave of hot gas and ash, called a pyroclastic flow, engulfed nearby Pompeii and killed those left in the city, more layers of ash from the eruption buried the buildings and bodies.
    — Geoffrey Giller, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2014

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pyroclastic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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