engulf

verb

en·​gulf in-ˈgəlf 

en-

engulfed; engulfing; engulfs

transitive verb

1

: to flow over and enclose : overwhelm

the mounting seas threatened to engulf the island

2

: to take in (food) by or as if by flowing over and enclosing

engulfment

in-ˈgəlf-mənt 

en-

noun

Synonyms of engulf

• flood
• overwhelm
• drown
• submerge

Examples of engulf in a Sentence

The valley was engulfed in a thick fog.

high waves from the hurricane engulfed large areas of the coastal community

Recent Examples on the Web

Previous flights ended with the spacecraft engulfed in flames and exploding at splashdown — or rupturing in midair. — Marcia Dunn, Fortune, 25 July 2026

Before gang violence engulfed much of Port-au-Prince and its two neighboring regions, organizing nationwide voting in Haiti typically took between 12 and 16 months. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026

By the time crews arrived at the scene, somewhere between 3 and 4 feet of water and mud had accumulated in the theater, engulfing all of the ground floor seats and rising to the height of the elevated stage. — Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026

From a military perspective though, this strike, and the infernos which have engulfed other Wildberries facilities, have some important lessons for the rest of the world. — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for engulf

• gulf
• gulph

Kids Definition

engulf

verb

en·​gulf in-ˈgəlf 

: to flow over and enclose : overwhelm

engulfment

-mənt 

noun