Definition of inundate
inundated
;inundating
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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
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The Anchorage Police Department, which is 158miles from Kenai, said it was inundated with 911 calls after DeWine’s news release and asked residents to call Ohio with information.
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Gardner is facing criticism for his decision, including from residents who inundated his office with calls.
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Preparing food is still a pretty old-fashioned pastime, yet electronics stores can’t wait to inundate us with solar powered, USB-compatible, smartphone-accommodating doodads.
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Baltimore’s century-old sewer system is so cracked and worn that stormwater finds its way in, inundating a system that was only designed to handle sewage.
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Inundated by credit card promotions, these millennials are carefully choosing the cards with the best perks, Morrison said.
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Fire officials said that at least a dozen people were rescued by ladders or evacuated through the stairwells and hallways, which were inundated by thick smoke.
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Similar tactics occurred on Instagram, where anti-female genital mutilation posts were getting inundated with negative comments by those supporting female circumcision.
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So, like hurricane watchers dashing to the grocery store, Washington's ruling Republicans are trying to jam through a health-care bill before the investigation inundates the capital.
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
INUNDATE Defined for English Language Learners
inundate
playDefinition of inundate for English Language Learners
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: to cause (someone or something) to receive or take in a large amount of things at the same time
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: to cover (something) with a flood of water
INUNDATE Defined for Kids
inundate
playDefinition 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.
Learn More about inundate
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See words that rhyme with inundate Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for inundate Spanish Central: Translation of inundate Nglish: Translation of inundate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of inundate for Arabic speakers
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