1
a
: a rising and overflowing of a body of water especially onto normally dry land
The flood inundated the whole area.
also
: a condition of overflowing
rivers in flood
b
capitalized
: a flood described in the Bible as covering the earth in the time of Noah
2
: the flowing in of the tide
3
: an overwhelming quantity or volume
received a flood of phone calls
also
: a state of abundant flow or volume or of greatest activity
—often used in the phrase in full flood
a debate in full flood
a political movement in full flood
4
flooded; flooding; floods
1
: to cover with a flood : inundate
2
a
: to fill abundantly or excessively
flood the market
b
: to supply an excess of fuel to (an engine, a carburetor, etc.) so that engine operation is hampered
flooder
noun
Examples of flood in a Sentence
Noun
A flood inundated the whole area.
the devastating flood of 1936
The water has risen to flood level.
We've received a flood of mail.
a flood of phone calls
Seeing her again brought back a flood of memories.
Verb
Heavy rains flooded the valley.
The rivers are close to flooding.
The valley flooded after the heavy rains.
The plain floods every spring.
The room was flooded with light.
The company plans to flood the market with this product.
The office has been flooded with phone calls.
The phone calls have been flooding in.
Refugees flooded into the camp.
Light flooded into the room.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 June 2025
The devastation caused by climate change — wildfires, floods, excessive heat, more numerous and catastrophic storms — is wreaking havoc on the planet.
—Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025
Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 9 June 2025
At a time when the demagogue Father Coughlin was flooding the radio with antisemitic hate speech, Berg offered counterprogramming.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for flood
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
But amid the worries about bridge collapses and floods and species extinction and famine, a teacher named Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor) primarily spends his time trying to calm his students and their parents about the fact that the internet is down.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 June 2025
The devastation caused by climate change — wildfires, floods, excessive heat, more numerous and catastrophic storms — is wreaking havoc on the planet.
—Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025
Verb
By Sunday, the National Guard had arrived in the city, and images of heavily armed officers confronting peaceful demonstrators, including journalists and musicians, began flooding social media.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 9 June 2025
At a time when the demagogue Father Coughlin was flooding the radio with antisemitic hate speech, Berg offered counterprogramming.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for flood
Cite this Entry
“Flood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flood. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
flood
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a great flow of water that rises and spreads over the land
b
capitalized
: a flood described in the Bible as covering the earth in the time of Noah
2
: the flowing in of the tide
3
: an overwhelming quantity or volume
a flood of mail
flood
2 of 2 verb1
: to cover or become filled with a flood
2
: to fill as if with a flood
a room flooded with light
flood a carburetor
3
: to pour forth, go, or come in a flood
Medical Definition
flood
intransitive verb
: to have an excessive menstrual flow or a uterine hemorrhage after childbirth
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