inundate

verb in·un·date \ ˈi-(ˌ)nən-ˌdāt \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of inundate

inundated; inundating

transitive verb

1 : to cover with a flood : overflow

2 : overwhelm

was inundated with phone calls

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inundation

play \ˌi-(ˌ)nən-ˈdā-shən\ noun

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inundator

play \ˈi-(ˌ)nən-ˌdā-tər\ noun

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inundatory

play \i-ˈnən-də-ˌtȯr-ē\ adjective

See inundate defined for English-language learners

See inundate defined for kids

Examples of inundate in a Sentence

Rising rivers could inundate low-lying areas.
water from the overflowing bathtub inundated the bathroom floor

Recent Examples of inundate from the Web

Local news stations were inundated with phone calls as residents rang in to ask what had caused the bright lights which briefly lit-up the skies.

— james osborne, Houston Chronicle, "With satellite in development, environmentalists enter the space age," 11 Apr. 2018
San Francisco, the capital of tech, is now inundated with several different scooter companies, as both Bird and competitor LimeBike have recently launched service.

— patrick sisson, Curbed, "As new transit startups take over streets and sidewalks, cities need to step up," 11 Apr. 2018
Our station’s Facebook page was inundated with angry messages denouncing our journalism, our station, and our employees.

— anonymous, Vox, "We’re journalists at a Sinclair news station. We’re pissed.," 5 Apr. 2018
As the first country to receive boatloads of immigrants brought in by smugglers via Libya, Italy was inundated with 600,000 migrants in the last four years, most single men, which has led to crime and retaliation.

— trudy rubin, Philly.com, "Populist victory in Italy's election has lessons for U.S. | Trudy Rubin," 7 Mar. 2018
That means a few homes are inundated with arriving planes, Cox said.

— steve harrison, charlotteobserver, "Here’s why your Charlotte neighborhood may be hearing more aircraft noise," 12 Jan. 2018
She’s been inundated with interview requests, and Charles Barkley wants to take her sightseeing in San Antonio.

— nancy armour, USA TODAY, "Loyola's Sister Jean, feeling fine and having fun, is an example for us all," 26 Mar. 2018
Houses, roads and fields will flood; seawater will inundate the freshwater supply.

— jane palmer, CNN, "How to survive climate change: A lesson from Hurricane Maria," 20 Mar. 2018
Baltimore, Harford and Cecil counties were inundated with the nasty weather.

— baltimoresun.com, "Remembering Baltimore's snow storm of March 19-21, 1958," 20 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inundate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

In the summer of 1993, record rains in the Midwest caused the Mississippi River to overflow its banks, break through levees, and inundate the entire countryside; such an inundation hadn't been seen for at least a hundred years. By contrast, the Nile River inundated its entire valley every year, bringing the rich black silt that made the valley one of the most fertile places on earth. (The inundations ceased with the completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1970.) Whenever a critical issue is being debated, the White House and Congressional offices are inundated with phone calls and e-mails, just as a town may be inundated with complaints when it starts charging a fee for garbage pickup.

Origin and Etymology of inundate

Latin inundatus, past participle of inundare, from in- + unda wave — more at water

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First Known Use: 1590

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inundate Synonyms

INUNDATE Defined for English Language Learners

inundate

verb

Definition of inundate for English Language Learners

: to cause (someone or something) to receive or take in a large amount of things at the same time
: to cover (something) with a flood of water

INUNDATE Defined for Kids

inundate

verb in·un·date \ ˈin-ən-ˌdāt \

Definition of inundate for Students

inundated; inundating

: to cover with or as if with a flood

I'm inundated by mail.

Word Root of inundate

The Latin word unda, meaning “wave,” gives us the root und. Words from the Latin unda have something to do with waves. To undulate is to move up and down like a wave. To inundate is to cover with a flood of waves. To surround, or encircle on all sides, is to enclose as if by waves. To abound is to be plentiful, like waves in the ocean.