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overflow

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verb

1
as in to flood
to flow over the brim or top of while the wine steward stood there gawking at the nearby celebrity, my expensive champagne was overflowing its glass and pouring onto our table

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in to burst
to be copiously supplied a magazine that usually overflows with home-repair tips for the do-it-yourselfer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 overflow
Noun
The sewerage district is required to submit a report to the DNR within five days of an overflow. Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025 The church overlooks the spot where Boudarine hopes to see the road overflow with people supporting Indianapolis' immigrant and ethnic minority cultures on the first Sunday in October. Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
This autumn, Target is overflowing with fall knits. Melody Kazel, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2025 The sensual lips turned inward, busy with the sorrow overflowing from his heart. Garth Greenwell, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overflow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflow
Noun
  • Turning Point is an American conservative organization with chapters at over 2,000 colleges nationwide and has received a flood of support and requests for new chapters in the wake of Charlie Kirk's death, amid the backdrop of rising fears of political violence in the USA.
    Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Delaware tops the list, where mortgage-free retirees have an annual surplus of $1,764.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
  • One tenth of the remaining surplus will be used to form a national cobalt reserve, while the rest, Tshisekedi said, would be handed to small-scale miners.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • That event spilled from the steps of Metro Hall across Jefferson Street and into Jefferson Square Park before protesers marched through downtown, The Courier Journal reported.
    Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Sep. 2025
  • In an exclusive conversation with Travel + Leisure, Kardashian spilled all the details about her latest Fabletics drop, her go-to airport uniform, and the clever packing tricks that make back-to-back trips feel seamless.
    Annita Katee, Travel + Leisure, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Firefighters are mopping up Monday after an early morning fire engulfed a railcar on Roseville Road in North Sacramento before spreading to a towing yard and knocking out power to nearby customers.
    Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2025
  • But Shumlas does not want the company to get pulled into the culture wars that seem to engulf a different CEO, from Target’s to Cracker Barrel’s, every week.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • While the first game trafficked in elegant neatness, Hades II is practically bursting at the seams with excess.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Video from the Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel shows floodwater bursting through the closed lobby doors, quickly rising to knee height while staff shouted for guests to evacuate.
    Ronnie Li, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The death of Banda Amidst the torrents, Arisu follows the sound of Usagi’s voice, as they are both swept towards a watery vortex that leads to the world of the dead.
    Kayti Burt, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
  • But a new technology blasted past these limitations and unleashed a torrent of creativity on the web.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • To some market watchers, Nvidia’s latest deals feel all-too-similar to the excesses of past technology booms.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2025
  • While the first game trafficked in elegant neatness, Hades II is practically bursting at the seams with excess.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Lincoln Oasis rest area on I-80/294 is often overfilled with demand for truck parking, and there’s a two-hour limit on spaces, Rozek said.
    Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Avoid overfilling the feeder with nectar to reduce nectar waste.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 2 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflow. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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