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engulfs

verb

present tense third-person singular of engulf
as in overwhelms
to cover with a flood high waves from the hurricane engulfed large areas of the coastal community

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for engulfs
  1. overwhelms
  2. floods
  3. drowns
  4. submerges
Verb
  • And yet, in Yoon’s hands, a character’s suffering never overwhelms their capacity for tenderness.
    — Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
  • One person has died and rescues are underway as catastrophic flooding overwhelms the Hill Country, a little more than a year after the July 4 floods killed more than 130 people in Central Texas.
    — Mary Ella Hastings July 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
Definition of overwhelms
Verb
  • The rabbit does not control the rain that floods its burrow or the drought that kills its food.
    — Chris Lee, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The camera moves constantly and visual information — lights, split screens, colors, sounds, movement — floods the viewer.
    — William Earl, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of floods
Verb
  • The quality of the coffee seems a bit underwhelming, and its bitterness drowns out much of the perceptible campfire-ness.
    — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 1 Sep. 2026
  • With notable traffic boosts over the Android competition guaranteeing more digital inches and headlines, the associated media coverage drowns out alternatives.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of drowns
Verb
  • Lush layers of melody and instrumentation submerges the listener in both metaphoric thought and shifting moods.
    — Lina Lecaro, SPIN, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Heat schmaltz in a large pot to 325 F, ensuring the fat fully submerges the chicken.
    — Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 9 June 2026
Definition of submerges
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.

Browse Nearby Words

engulfments
engulfs
enhalo
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Cite this Entry

“Engulfs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/engulfs. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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