flood

1 of 2

noun

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

flood

2 of 2

verb

flooded; flooding; floods

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

1
: to pour forth, go, or come in a flood
2
: to become filled with a flood
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
Noun
The Franchise Tax Board and the IRS in addition to the county have now granted extensions to flood victims for both personal income and property taxes until June 17. Shane Harris, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024 The same goes for Joe Biden, who formally became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee on Tuesday evening thanks to a flood of delegates from Georgia, Washington, Mississippi and Hawaii. Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024 By Friday, Mercury, which provides accounts for startups through its bank network, was on the receiving end of a flood of deposits from panicked SVB customers, including Martin. Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024 During periods of intense rainfall, the risk of flooding increases, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas. Star-Telegram Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Mar. 2024 In a worst-case scenario, roughly 1 in 50 people in the 32 cities analyzed could be exposed to flood threats. Cnn.com, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2024 Chinese carmakers are now looking overseas for growth opportunities, yet a flood of cheap Chinese EVs could trigger retaliation in markets like the U.S. and Europe. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 7 Mar. 2024 Heavier rain is forecast to fall to our northeast, including in southern New England, where flood watches are up for Hartford, Conn.; Providence, R.I.; and Boston, among other spots. Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 The channel will connect two sections of the Trinity River north of downtown as a way to improve the city’s flood protection. Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Mar. 2024
Verb
The sink, shower and toilet flooded, and the damage was so extensive, the foam reached into the city's sewer system, police said in court documents. The Arizona Republic, 14 Mar. 2024 Olivia Munn is filled with gratitude after being flooded with messages about her battle breast cancer. Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 Several congressional offices said they were flooded with calls that day. Yiwen Lu, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Thousands of anti-Israel demonstrators flooded the streets surrounding the venue and the entrance was blocked, causing the start of the awards broadcast to be delayed. Richard Trank, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024 After the levee break flooded Leonardo Torres-Gonzalez’s street, the moisture from the rain and stagnant water led to the black mold plaguing his apartment. Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2024 Plus, in an EV market now flooded with options, Rivian’s pricey trucks and SUVs are a significant obstacle keeping consumers away. William Gavin, Quartz, 9 Mar. 2024 Farther south, roads and neighborhoods in Eagle Mountain were also flooded by the prickly debris. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024 Storr and her colleagues had to move the intensive care unit, pediatric department, and maternal care into the emergency room area—the only space not totally flooded. Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 29 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English flōd; akin to Old High German fluot flood, Old English flōwan to flow

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1663, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flood was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near flood

Cite this Entry

“Flood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flood. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

flood

1 of 2 noun
1
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 verb
1
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on flood

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