inundate

verb

in·​un·​date ˈi-(ˌ)nən-ˌdāt 

inundated; inundating

transitive verb

1

: overwhelm

was inundated with phone calls

2

: to cover with a flood : overflow

inundation

ˌi-(ˌ)nən-ˈdā-shən 

noun

inundator

ˈi-(ˌ)nən-ˌdā-tər 

noun

inundatory

i-ˈnən-də-ˌtȯr-ē 

adjective

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 emails, just as a town may be inundated with complaints when it starts charging a fee for garbage pickup.

Synonyms of inundate

• flood
• engulf
• overwhelm
• drown

Examples of inundate in a Sentence

Rising rivers could inundate low-lying areas.

water from the overflowing bathtub inundated the bathroom floor

Recent Examples on the Web

Her 10-week trial was held in a small town in rural Victoria that was inundated with media crews and curious members of the public who queued for hours each day for a seat in the public gallery. — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026

In 2022, sections of downtown Sanford were closed for weeks after Hurricane Ian caused Lake Monroe to overflow and inundated roads near City Hall and Marina Isle. — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026

The song’s bubbly instrumental proved irresistible to young content creators already inundated with Jay-Z content this summer. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026

The sign removed from the park explained that the rising sea level, as earth’s climate changes, could inundate the fort’s walls. — Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for inundate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate
• angulate

Kids Definition

inundate

verb

in·​un·​date ˈin-(ˌ)ən-ˌdāt 

inundated; inundating

1

: to cover with a flood : deluge entry 1

2

: overwhelm sense 2

inundated with email

inundation

ˌin-(ˌ)ən-ˈdā-shən 

noun