FLOODS Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

floods 1 of 2

noun

plural of flood

as in torrents

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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floods

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of flood

as in engulfs

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

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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 floods

Noun

With less than 2% of California homes insured against floods, an El Niño winter is a timely reminder to explore coverage through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program. — Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 The floods also altered the course of the White River, which is now flowing into the Martin Marietta quarry at 96th Street and Gray Road, which can hold millions of gallons of water. — John Tufts, IndyStar, 19 Aug. 2026 Those include floods and hurricanes and threats posed by hazardous materials. — Michael Van Sickler, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026 Both failures are expensive in flood response, since a miss floods a warehouse and a false alarm shuts one down for no reason. — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 The floods have displaced more than 700,000 people and submerged farmland while damaging roads and other infrastructure. — ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026 These groups see the largest increase in overdose death risk following floods. — Kristina P. Brant, The Conversation, 18 Aug. 2026 For floods, the federal government releases national maps showing which places are at risk of inundation. — Lauren Sommer, NPR, 17 Aug. 2026 Multiple people were rescued as floods continued, the Indianapolis Star, a part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026

Verb

Each year, the tournament floods Baltimore’s economy with millions of dollars, boosting tourism, supporting local businesses, and energizing our communities. — Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 6 Aug. 2026 If an agent misbehaves, floods a system, or takes an unauthorized action, the organization on the receiving end often has no reliable way to determine who is responsible for it. — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 Sunlight floods the main living area thanks to an entire facade of front-facing, floor-to-ceiling windows that also supplies immersive views of the surrounding forest. — Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 15 July 2026 Melatonin floods the brain and body, telling each cell that night has come. — Literary Hub, 17 June 2026 Eating quickly floods your body with calories, which can cause blood sugar levels to skyrocket. — Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 9 June 2026 The virus floods the immune system, eventually shredding our vasculature. — Neil Vora, Time, 22 May 2026 Years later, when our lives intersect with children and children’s books, the ice thaws; that old love floods us. — Mac Barnett, Longreads, 5 May 2026 Neuroscientists Wendy Suzuki, PhD, Samuel Wang, PhD, and Gary Small, MD explain how movement increases blood flow, boosts growth factors like BDNF, and floods the brain with mood-lifting neurochemicals. — Big Think, 30 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for floods

Noun

Total rainfall of nearly 3 feet was expected on the higher windward slopes, turning rivers into raging torrents and threatening mudslides.

— Alexa St. John, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Citizens poured out torrents of letters to editors complaining of Holmes’s fate.

— Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of torrents

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

James eventually drowns, leaving Sara and Max to continue alone.

— Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 29 July 2026
Most of the peril comes with dangerous ship-wrecking moments, including one that implies the death of Moana's relative, while our heroine herself almost drowns on her first voyage from land.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 July 2026

Definition of drowns

Verb

Heat schmaltz in a large pot to 325 F, ensuring the fat fully submerges the chicken.

— Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 9 June 2026
Reviews have been positive for the thriller, which follows several residents of a small South Carolina town after a freak storm submerges the streets in enough water for marine predators to move in looking for snacks.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 17 Apr. 2026