as in flooding
to cover with a flood
high waves from the hurricane engulfed large areas of the coastal community
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Recent Examples of engulfing
Images from the scene on Swiss media showed flames engulfing the vehicle.
—
Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026
On Sunday night, firefighters battled with the flames engulfing Forsyth House – a Victorian building next to Glasgow Central station, home to dozens of small businesses.
—Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 11 Mar. 2026
Mojtaba Khamenei faces a second and even more existential obstacle, which is the American and Israeli war that is now engulfing the region.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2026
Firefighters managed to extinguish the flames engulfing the aircraft.
—CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Herman Halushchenko's arrest, the source said, followed requests from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) and marked an uptick in an anti-corruption probe engulfing the political spectrum.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 15 Feb. 2026
Proportional representation could also help with the deep political polarization engulfing the United States.
—Jennifer Lynn McCoy, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2026
In a disturbing incident in the northern city of Rasht, regime forces shot unarmed civilians trying to escape an inferno engulfing its bazaar.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The price war engulfing China’s consumer sector is likely to persist, as sluggish demand and rising efficiency at local firms keep driving costs lower, according to a venture capital investor backing some of China’s most successful consumer brands.
—Bloomberg News, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
Arkansas Online, 12 Mar. 2026
On Sunday night, firefighters battled with the flames engulfing Forsyth House – a Victorian building next to Glasgow Central station, home to dozens of small businesses.
—Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 11 Mar. 2026
Mojtaba Khamenei faces a second and even more existential obstacle, which is the American and Israeli war that is now engulfing the region.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2026
Firefighters managed to extinguish the flames engulfing the aircraft.
—CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Herman Halushchenko's arrest, the source said, followed requests from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) and marked an uptick in an anti-corruption probe engulfing the political spectrum.
—Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 15 Feb. 2026
Proportional representation could also help with the deep political polarization engulfing the United States.
—Jennifer Lynn McCoy, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2026
In a disturbing incident in the northern city of Rasht, regime forces shot unarmed civilians trying to escape an inferno engulfing its bazaar.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The price war engulfing China’s consumer sector is likely to persist, as sluggish demand and rising efficiency at local firms keep driving costs lower, according to a venture capital investor backing some of China’s most successful consumer brands.
—Bloomberg News, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for engulfing
Verb
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Large hail, damaging winds, flooding rainfall and an elevated, non-zero threat for tornadoes will be possible.—
Lauren Bostwick,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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The hard truth is that clinging to the past and fearing the future cannot fix leaking roofs or flooding greens.—
Betty Resch,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Practical care makes vulnerability easier to share without overwhelming anyone.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
-
These hues add personality, without overwhelming your home's façade.—
Angelika Pokovba,
Martha Stewart,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Following November elections, 21 individuals will undertake the daunting task of funding and running a massive school system drowning in debt and facing a highly uncertain future demanding the making of difficult decisions.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
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For the most part, that’s what happened, and for the third consecutive season, a drowning defense sunk a year of Joe Burrow’s prime.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Heavy rain began on Friday and continued overnight, submerging vehicles and forcing motorists in some areas to wade through hip-high water to reach higher ground.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Mar. 2026
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The heavy rain began Friday and continued overnight, submerging vehicles and forcing motorists in some areas to wade through hip-high water to reach higher ground.—
Evelyne Musambi,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Engulfing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/engulfing. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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