engulf

verb

en·​gulf in-ˈgəlf How to pronounce engulf (audio)
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 noun

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 Its retro rides were engulfed by grass and vines, and its owner was eventually jailed for drug smuggling. Kate Maxwell Lindsey Tramuta Reggie Nadelson Gisela Williams Roxanne Fequiere Siska Lyssens, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024 The settlement, thought to have originally consisted of several large roundhouses made of wood and constructed on stilts above a slow-moving river, was engulfed by a fire less than a year after being built. Adela Suliman, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, Canada has been engulfed by probably the worst outbreak of antisemitism in its country’s history. Peter Aitken, Fox News, 20 Mar. 2024 The world has been engulfed by an anti-global, anti-immigrant backlash. TIME, 18 Mar. 2024 Deputies and firefighters arrived in minutes and found the home engulfed in flames, sheriff’s Detective Dan Wilson said in a statement. Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024 That experience of being engulfed in the sounds and the chaos of a new city helped inspire the exhibits in his new immersive installation, Mercer Labs. Christopher Kuo, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Gory details of the murder leaked to the press, and a wave of fury engulfed the Saudis, who were already being criticized for their indiscriminate bombing campaign in Yemen. Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2024 To the east, the Grape Vine Creek fire engulfed 34,882 acres of land and was 60% contained. USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of engulf was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near engulf

Cite this Entry

“Engulf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/engulf. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

engulf

verb
en·​gulf in-ˈgəlf How to pronounce engulf (audio)
: to flow over and enclose : overwhelm
engulfment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on engulf

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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