floodgate

noun

flood·​gate ˈfləd-ˌgāt 

1

: a gate for shutting out, admitting, or releasing a body of water : sluice

2

: something serving to restrain an outburst

opened the floodgates of criticism

Examples of floodgate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The floodgates have opened, and the corner of Silicon Valley that supports former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election is becoming more vocal. —Seamus Webster, Fortune, 17 July 2024

Gil escaped the first inning after that, but the floodgates opened in the second. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 20 June 2024

An administration spokesman claimed that enemies had disabled a hydroelectric dam by opening the floodgates; the dam turned out not to have floodgates. —Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 17 June 2024

Well, the floodgates finally opened up on Baby Reindeer’s sixth episode in an alarming and deeply satisfying way. —Marah Eakin, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English flodgate

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

floodgate

noun

flood·​gate ˈfləd-ˌgāt 

: a gate (as in a canal) for controlling a body of water : sluice

Legal Definition

floodgate

noun

flood·​gate

: something serving to restrain an outburst (as of litigation)

—usually used in pl.

a decision that will open the floodgates for other claims