swamp

1 of 2

noun

ˈswämp 

ˈswȯmp

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

swamp

2 of 2

verb

swamped; swamping; swamps

transitive verb

1

a

: to fill with or as if with water : inundate, submerge

b

: to overwhelm numerically or by an excess of something : flood

swamped with work

2

: to open by removing underbrush and debris

intransitive verb

: to become submerged

Synonyms

Noun

• marsh
• wetland

Verb

• flood
• engulf
• overwhelm
• drown

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

Noun

Habitats can change, too; should someone drain that Sudbury shrub swamp, the Appalachian Brown would disappear. —Lewis Hyde, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025

This prehistoric swamp will enchant you even before the mind-melting sunset begins. —Outside Online, 29 May 2025

Verb

The flood waters tore through McDowell County in West Virginia so fast in February that Rev. Brad Davis barely had time to grab his two cats before his house was swamped. —Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 24 June 2025

Each attempt to get above was smacked down as the sellers swamped the buyers. —Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 23 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

perhaps alteration of Middle English sompe, from Middle Dutch somp morass; akin to Middle High German sumpf marsh, Greek somphos spongy

First Known Use

Noun

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1784, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing swamp

• swamp buggy

Rhymes for swamp

• comp
• pomp
• pompe
• romp
• stomp

Kids Definition

swamp

1 of 2 noun

ˈswämp 

ˈswȯmp

: wet spongy land often partly covered with water

swamp

2 of 2 verb

1

: to fill or become filled with or as if with water

2

: overwhelm sense 2

was swamped with work