flood

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈfləd 

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

Flood : 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

: floodlight

flood

2 of 3

verb

flooded; flooding; floods

transitive verb

1

: to cover with a flood : inundate

flood the fields

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

letters flooding in

2

: to become filled with a flood

The basement flooded.

flooder noun

flooder

3 of 3

noun (2)

flood·​er

-də(r)

plural -s

: one that floods

Synonyms of flood

Noun (1)

• torrent

Verb

• engulf
• overwhelm
• drown
• submerge
• deluge

Examples of flood in a Sentence

Noun (1)

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

Instead, Marsh’s bomb opened the flood gates for the Phillies to score eight runs in the top of the ninth inning to absolutely stun the Nationals and its home crowd in a miraculous 14-9 victory on Tuesday night. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 June 2026

Then came this spring’s historic and devastating floods across northern Michigan — in some areas, for the first time anyone can remember — swamping homes, pushing dams to the brink of failure and washing out roadways. —Tammy Webber, Fortune, 23 June 2026

Verb

Groups tied to the artificial intelligence industry are flooding money into the midterms in hopes of shaping future AI regulation. —Eric McDaniel, NPR, 22 June 2026

With campaigns and outside super PACs flooding the zone with money, television, radio and social media were awash with ads for candidates vying in deep-blue NY-12, NY-10, NY-13 and NY-7, all of which are considered up for grabs to greater or lesser degrees. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 22 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1) and Verb

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

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Verb

1663, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing flood

• flash flood
• flood tide
• in flood
• in full flood

Rhymes for flood

• blood
• bud
• crud
• dud
• mud
• rud
• scud
• spud
• stud
• thud
• lifeblood
• youngblood

Kids Definition

flood

1 of 2 noun

ˈfləd 

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

ˈfləd 

: to have an excessive menstrual flow or a uterine hemorrhage after childbirth