✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

wash over

phrasal verb

washed over; washing over; washes over
1
: to affect or be felt by (someone) thoroughly and deeply
I felt relief washing over me.
Just close your eyes and let the music wash over you.
2
: to appear on (a person's face) suddenly
A look of surprise washed over his face.

Examples of wash over in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Waves of relief washed over me like I’d been drenched by Ozzy’s water gun. Stephen Rea, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025 Swim, snorkel, or simply lie back and let the hum of cicadas and the sound of the waves wash over you. Marco Palermo, Travel + Leisure, 7 Nov. 2025 One location washed over a thousand cars in eight hours. Neda Ulaby, NPR, 27 Oct. 2025 When such a wave washes over Earth, the radiation, consisting of X-ray and extreme ultraviolet light, interferes with radio transmissions, causing blackouts. Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wash over

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wash over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wash%20over. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!