flood 1 of 2

noun

ˈfləd How to pronounce flood (audio)
Definition of floodnext
as in torrent
a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms a flood nearly wiped out the town a flood of messages on my computer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flood

2 of 2

verb

as in to engulf
to cover with a flood the lowlands were completely flooded angry calls flooded the radio station

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of flood
Noun
In recent years, Canyon has searched for people amid wildfire ash, along steep muddy banks after floods, and beneath homes destroyed by tornadoes. — Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026 The state is pre-positioning more than 4 million sandbags, more than 50,000 feet of portable flood barriers and 400,000 tons of rock to repair levees. — Adrian Florido, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
The grand staircase was covered in 6 inches of ice and the basement was flooded with 4 feet of water. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 By holding water on the land, these peatlands not only reduce the risk of flooding downstream, but also buffer the landscape against drought, keeping soils moist and supporting nearby forests through dry spells. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flood
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flood
  1. torrent
  2. engulf
  3. overwhelm
  4. drown
  5. submerge
  6. deluge
Noun
  • And various gamma-ray observatories in orbit were saturated and blinded by the torrent of incoming radiation.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Following testimony from Meta staff who downloaded torrents, the order could expose a wider range of supervisors, managers, and executives whom staffers said greenlit the piracy.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of torrent
Verb
  • On Saturday alone, at least 2,400 people were arrested after rioters in cities across France clashed with police, set cars on fire, stormed public buildings, looted stores and engulfed a historic city hall in flames.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • This is against the backdrop of the French government imposing a curfew and many businesses and some famous tourist attractions shutting down amid the wave of violence that engulfed sections of Paris and other cites around the country.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of engulf
Verb
  • Resilient people experience life’s typical ups and downs, but their senses don’t overwhelm them.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Swain settled in this preseason, showing an improved progression in his decision making when he was not overwhelmed by on-ball duties.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of overwhelm
Verb
  • The guy went right to shore, the wife drowned while paddling around looking for him.
    — George Saunders, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • However, after Mitt drowns himself in the midst of a terminal illness, Jay goes diving in search of his father’s remains.
    — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of drown
Verb
  • On the greatest album of all time, her voice is less affected yet further out of reach, persistently clouded by AutoTune and sometimes submerged under the beats, so only her sibilants break the surface.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In his lab, mold has appeared only under deliberately extreme conditions, like submerging beans in water for hours and then exposing them to air for days.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of submerge
Verb
  • Wide swaths of the Southwest were deluged Sunday as the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel weakened and moved inland, but coastal communities already battered by high surf emerged with less damage than some officials feared.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Parts of the Desert Southwest could be deluged Wednesday as waves of robust monsoonal moisture lift into the region.
    — Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of deluge

Phrases Containing flood

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flogs
flood
flooded
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Cite this Entry

“Flood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flood. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flood

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flood

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