1
: a wetland often partially or intermittently covered with water
especially
: one dominated by woody vegetation
2
: a tract of swamp
3
: a difficult or troublesome situation or subject
swamp
adjective
swamped; swamping; swamps
1
2
: to open by removing underbrush and debris
: to become submerged
Examples of swamp in a Sentence
Noun
Alligators live in the lowland swamps.
be careful in the swamp, because alligators sometimes lurk there
Verb
The sea level rose and swamped the coastal villages.
The boat sank after it was swamped by waves.
Recent Examples on the Web
James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Aug. 2025
Instead, consider making a homemade air conditioner or swamp cooler.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 30 July 2025
Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
But perhaps the biggest hit of Monroe’s tightening of its purse strings is to its nationally leading program to raise roads ahead of sea level rise, which is already swamping a handful of Keys neighborhoods and expected to inundate up to 90 of them in the next few decades alone.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for swamp
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Noun
Whole home fans and swamp coolers, which bring in air from outside, should be avoided unless there is no other means to keep cool.
—James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Aug. 2025
Instead, consider making a homemade air conditioner or swamp cooler.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 30 July 2025
Verb
Elkin was spared the deadly destruction wrought in other parts of the state, but the Yadkin River rose 22 feet, inundating homes and businesses, leaving roads underwater and swamping pickleball courts.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
But perhaps the biggest hit of Monroe’s tightening of its purse strings is to its nationally leading program to raise roads ahead of sea level rise, which is already swamping a handful of Keys neighborhoods and expected to inundate up to 90 of them in the next few decades alone.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for swamp
Cite this Entry
“Swamp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swamp. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
swamp
1 of 2 noun
ˈswämp 
ˈswȯmp
: wet spongy land often partly covered with water
swamp
2 of 2 verb1
: to fill or become filled with or as if with water
2
: overwhelm sense 2
was swamped with work
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