deluge

1 of 2

noun

del·​uge ˈdel-ˌyüj 

-ˌyüzh;

nonstandard

də-ˈlüj 

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.

Synonyms

Noun

• alluvion
• bath
• cataclysm
• cataract
• flood
• flood tide
• inundation
• Niagara
• overflow
• spate
• torrent

Verb

• drown
• engulf
• flood
• gulf
• inundate
• overflow
• overwhelm
• submerge
• submerse
• swamp

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

The 2023 race was pushed to Monday after a deluge Sunday; the 2024 race was shortened. —Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 May 2025

To keep up with the deluge, Abstract tracks all the aforementioned data to provide insights into risks and opportunities in context. —Giovanni René Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025

Verb

Some rural areas of South Carolina, Georgia and the Florida Panhandle were deluged with up to a foot of rain in recent days, AccuWeather reported. —John Bacon, USA Today, 12 May 2025

Louisiana and even Texas — deluged by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 — have enacted some of the strongest flood disclosure laws in the nation. —Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, "flood, Noah's flood, storm," borrowed from Anglo-French deluvie, deluge (also continental Old French), in part loan, in part descent from Latin dīluvium "flood, inundation," from dīluere "to wash away, make thinner by mixing with water" + -ium, deverbal noun suffix — more at dilute entry 1

Verb

derivative of deluge entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

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

Verb

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

deluge

1 of 2 noun

del·​uge ˈdel-yüj 

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