over·flow
ˌō-vər-ˈflō 
overflowed; overflowing; overflows
1
: to cover with or as if with water : inundate
2
: to flow over the brim of
3
: to cause to overflow
1
: to flow over bounds
2
: to fill a space to capacity and spread beyond its limits
the crowd overflowed into the street
over·flow
ˈō-vər-ˌflō
1
: a flowing over : inundation
2
: something that flows over : surplus
3
: an outlet or receptacle for surplus liquid
Synonyms
Examples of overflow in a Sentence
Verb
The river overflowed its banks.
The creek overflows every spring.
The water in the tub overflowed.
Books and papers overflowed his desk.
The paragraph overflowed the page.
Noun
a great overflow of water from the heavy rains swept mud and silt down onto the highway
an overflow of help actually made the job more complicated
Recent Examples on the Web
Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 17 July 2024
Besides flooded homes, many car drivers were left stranded as water filled major highways like the Don Valley Parkway as an adjoining river overflowed its banks.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 July 2024
Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 13 July 2024
The Jackson, Lytton and Hazel families sat on the high school’s basketball court as distant family, friends and members of the community filled the bleachers and quickly spilled into the gym’s overflow section.
—Jordan D. Brown, Washington Post, 13 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for overflow 
Verb
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask Best Prime Day Home Deals Under $25
The home department is overflowing with compact furniture, storage bags, and cleaning tools to keep your space spotless and tidy.
—Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 17 July 2024
Besides flooded homes, many car drivers were left stranded as water filled major highways like the Don Valley Parkway as an adjoining river overflowed its banks.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 July 2024
Noun
At the high school, Biden addressed supporters in an overflow area before taking the stage.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 13 July 2024
The Jackson, Lytton and Hazel families sat on the high school’s basketball court as distant family, friends and members of the community filled the bleachers and quickly spilled into the gym’s overflow section.
—Jordan D. Brown, Washington Post, 13 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for overflow
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overflow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near overflow
Cite this Entry
“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overflow. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overflow
1 of 2 verb
over·flow
ˌō-vər-ˈflō
1
: to cover with or as if with water : inundate
2
: to flow over the brim or top of
the river overflowed its banks
3
: to flow over bounds
the creek overflows every spring
4
: to fill a space up and spread beyond its limits
the paragraph overflowed the page
overflow
2 of 2 noun
over·flow
ˈō-vər-ˌflō
Medical Definition
overflow
noun
over·flow
ˈō-vər-ˌflō
: an excessive flow or amount
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