swamp

1 of 2

noun

ˈswämp 

ˈswȯmp

1

: a wetland often partially or intermittently covered with water

especially : one dominated by woody vegetation

2

: a tract of swamp

3

: a difficult or troublesome situation or subject

swamp adjective

swamp

2 of 2

verb

swamped; swamping; swamps

transitive verb

1

a

: to fill with or as if with water : inundate, submerge

b

: to overwhelm numerically or by an excess of something : flood

swamped with work

2

: to open by removing underbrush and debris

intransitive verb

: to become submerged

Synonyms of swamp

Noun

• marsh
• wetland

Verb

• flood
• engulf
• overwhelm
• drown

Examples of swamp in a Sentence

Noun

Alligators live in the lowland swamps.

be careful in the swamp, because alligators sometimes lurk there

Verb

The sea level rose and swamped the coastal villages.

The boat sank after it was swamped by waves.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Madonna hunts pheasant in the English countryside, Thomas Edison electrocutes an elephant, Harry Harlow conducts callous experiments on monkeys, and Jimmy Carter fends off a swamp rabbit attack. —Literary Hub, 9 June 2026

The Okefenokee swamp's prairies are vast, watery expanses dotted with floating islands and stands of cypress and other trees. —Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 9 June 2026

Verb

But once again, a big pop would generate a fee-swamping flood of soft dollars. —Shawn Tully, Fortune, 10 June 2026

Investor interest and rising property values for logistics and industrial buildings have materialized at a time when waves of fading property values, delinquent loans and foreclosures have swamped the Bay Area’s office, hotel and apartment markets. —George Avalos, Mercury News, 9 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

perhaps alteration of Middle English sompe, from Middle Dutch somp morass; akin to Middle High German sumpf marsh, Greek somphos spongy

First Known Use

Noun

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1784, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing swamp

• swamp buggy

Rhymes for swamp

• comp
• pomp
• pompe
• romp
• stomp

Kids Definition

swamp

1 of 2 noun

ˈswämp 

ˈswȯmp

: wet spongy land often partly covered with water

swamp

2 of 2 verb

1

: to fill or become filled with or as if with water

2

: overwhelm sense 2

was swamped with work