overflow

1 of 2

verb

over·​flow ˌō-vər-ˈflō 

overflowed; overflowing; overflows

transitive verb

1

: to cover with or as if with water : inundate

2

: to flow over the brim of

3

: to cause to overflow

intransitive verb

1

: to flow over bounds

2

: to fill a space to capacity and spread beyond its limits

the crowd overflowed into the street

overflow

2 of 2

noun

over·​flow ˈō-vər-ˌflō 

1

: a flowing over : inundation

2

: something that flows over : surplus

3

: an outlet or receptacle for surplus liquid

Synonyms of overflow

Verb

• flood
• spill
• overfill
• flush

Noun

• flood
• torrent

Examples of overflow in a Sentence

Verb

The river overflowed its banks.

The creek overflows every spring.

The water in the tub overflowed.

Books and papers overflowed his desk.

The paragraph overflowed the page.

Noun

a great overflow of water from the heavy rains swept mud and silt down onto the highway

an overflow of help actually made the job more complicated

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Mold, mice, dirty bathrooms, overflowing trash cans and unattended animal carcasses are just some of the complaints from teachers in Cook County School District 130—serving Blue Island, Robbins, Alsip, and Crestwood. — Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026

The excitement is undeniable in a Bengals locker room overflowing with good vibes and notably lacking traditional distractions and landmines. — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Noun

The nonprofit thrift store in Homer Glen has been about six years in the making and opened its doors Thursday as cars parked in a nearby overflow lot and customers enjoyed punch and cookies while browsing through the displays. — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026

How levees work Levees are earthen embankments positioned parallel to a river that effectively raise the height of the banks of the river to prevent overflow when the river swells. — Kaleigh Yost, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for overflow

• afterglow
• akimbo
• albino
• aliquot
• allegro
• amigo
• apropos
• audio
• bungalow
• calico
• calypso
• cameo

Kids Definition

overflow

1 of 2 verb

over·​flow ˌō-vər-ˈflō 

1

: to cover with or as if with water : inundate

2

: to flow over the brim or top of

the river overflowed its banks

3

: to flow over bounds

the creek overflows every spring

4

: to fill a space up and spread beyond its limits

the paragraph overflowed the page

overflow

2 of 2 noun

over·​flow ˈō-vər-ˌflō 

1

: a flowing over : flood

2

: something that flows over : surplus

3

: an outlet or container for liquid that overflows

Medical Definition

overflow

noun

over·​flow ˈō-vər-ˌflō 

: an excessive flow or amount