deluge

1 of 2

noun

del·​uge ˈdel-ˌyüj How to pronounce deluge (audio)
-ˌyüzh;
nonstandard
də-ˈlüj How to pronounce deluge (audio)
ˈdā-ˌlüj
1
a
: an overflowing of the land by water
b
: a drenching rain
a deluge causing mudslides in the area
2
: an overwhelming amount or number
received a deluge of angry phone calls

deluge

2 of 2

verb

deluged; deluging

transitive verb

1
: to overflow with water : inundate
2
: overwhelm, swamp
The store was deluged with complaints.

Examples of deluge in a Sentence

Noun The deluge caused severe mudslides. a deluge of thanks and appreciation for the returning troops Verb Heavy rains deluged the region. deluged with requests for help
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
SpaceX engineers modified multiple systems in the wake of the failures, including work to beef up the rocket's self-destruct system, to improve engine performance and to protect the pad with a high-power water deluge system that also deadens the acoustic shock of engine ignition. William Harwood, CBS News, 14 Mar. 2024 For the second flight, SpaceX installed a water deluge system to its pad, which dampened the blast, and made upgrades to the rocket’s engines. Christian Davenport, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 The remnants of Hurricane Hilary swept through Death Valley National Park last August, bringing a deluge of flooding and forcing the park to shutter. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2024 In the past six months, a deluge of storms bringing record amounts of rain led to the lake's formation at the park − one of the hottest, driest and lowest-elevation places in North America, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024 For example, should some forms of interim housing be prioritized over others to shelter people during days-long deluges? Erika D. Smith, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2024 Scientists predict global warming will make California’s wet and dry seasons more extreme, resulting in more intense deluges and droughts. Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2024 Elo-Rivera revived the proposal a little over a week following the Jan. 22 deluge. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2024 In the rapidly evolving recruitment landscape, HR leaders are facing an unprecedented challenge: the deluge of job applications powered by generative AI tools. Ben Keighley, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Verb
Early February storms deluged the state in historic rainfall, damaging homes, triggering debris flows and mudslides and killing several people in Northern California. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2024 Confused and concerned residents at Overlook and nearby deluged Carmel officials with questions in what showed classic warning signs of a major NIMBY (Not in my backyard) fight. John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 10 Jan. 2024 East Africa has just suffered its worst drought in 40 years, and its sunbaked soils are now deluged by the worst flooding in a century. Katharine Houreld, Washington Post, 2 Dec. 2023 By Monday, officials warned that the Los Angeles area could be deluged by the equivalent of a year’s rainfall in a single day. Somini Sengupta, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2024 California was deluged by damaging atmospheric rivers last year and now the Golden State must brace for two more on the way this week. Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2024 Related Articles Realtor associations deluged with ‘copycat’ commission lawsuits Questions around water supplies for a new city in California, where underground aquifers are severely depleted, have swirled around the project. Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2024 Atmospheric rivers are expected in the Pacific Northwest next week as heavy rainfall continues to deluge the region. Gina Martinez, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2023 The cassette arrived at Windham Hill’s humble Stanford post office box, which had been deluged by unsolicited demos as the label grew in visibility. Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 22 Nov. 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French deluje, from Latin diluvium, from diluere to wash away, from dis- + lavere to wash — more at lye

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deluge was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near deluge

Cite this Entry

“Deluge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deluge. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

deluge

1 of 2 noun
del·​uge ˈdel-yüj How to pronounce deluge (audio)
1
a
: an overflowing of the land by water : flood
b
: a drenching rain
2
: an overwhelming amount or number
a deluge of Christmas mail

deluge

2 of 2 verb
deluged; deluging
1
: to overflow with water : inundate, flood
2
: to overwhelm as if with a deluge
deluged with inquiries

More from Merriam-Webster on deluge

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