1
as in flood
a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms
a great overflow of water from the heavy rains swept mud and silt down onto the highway
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in surplus
the state or an instance of going beyond what is usual, proper, or needed
an overflow of help actually made the job more complicated
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to engulf
to cover with a flood
the swollen river overflowed the surrounding land and washed several houses away
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overflow
Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
As a result, sewer overflows may soon become more prevalent, spreading pathogens to bodies of water.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2025
Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
Its sale section is overflowing with designer goodies right now, including a Farm Rio dress that’s perfect for spring, trendy cuffed jeans for over $100 off, and the Comme des Garçons Converse sneakers every stylish woman owns.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overflow
Noun
An employee at a Mercedes-Benz overflow lot, who did not want to be named, heard the rapid gunfire and raced to the commotion to see what was going on.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
As a result, sewer overflows may soon become more prevalent, spreading pathogens to bodies of water.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
From the $330 giant Halloween skeleton to the $1,000 backyard playset, her O’Fallon, Missouri, home was already overflowing with Costco bounty.
—Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
Its sale section is overflowing with designer goodies right now, including a Farm Rio dress that’s perfect for spring, trendy cuffed jeans for over $100 off, and the Comme des Garçons Converse sneakers every stylish woman owns.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overflow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflow
Noun
-
The drop in output early this year was traced to a flood of imports – which are subtracted from gross domestic product – as businesses raced to order goods before President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
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The technology is aimed at streamlining beverage and food preparation, shortening wait times, and helping baristas deal with the daily flood of orders, including the speciality concoctions the coffee chain has become known for, according to Starbucks.—
Alain Sherter,
CBS News,
1 May 2025
Noun
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On Robust Earnings Reports—As Microsoft Reclaims Crown As World’s Largest Company Having no plan for what to do with a surplus of chicken feet, yes chicken feet, is a sad state of affairs after turning your back on more than 1.4 billion Chinese consumers.—
Phil Kafarakis,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
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While the city currently has an approximate $3.6 million surplus in the latest budget, city officials expressed reluctance to drop the revenue stream.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Two cigarette butts from an ashtray that had spilled onto the floor.—
Gina Barton,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
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The impact caused the rear door of Santiago’s SUV to open, spilling a 43-year-old Zion man to the ground and causing serious injury, police said.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2025
Verb
-
An ordinary film engulfed in extraordinary tragedy.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2025
-
The contaminated water released toxic gas that briefly engulfed Dunsmuir and made hundreds of people ill.—
Jessica Garrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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There are sometimes only images: foggy white drizzle, melted rainbows in a gasoline puddle, pink foam insulation bursting between slats of splintered wood.—
Jia Tolentino,
New Yorker,
3 May 2025
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Two moments were made in his image: Acerbi’s burst forward from centre-back to lead a counter-attack, moments after conceding an equaliser, and Barella’s calmness in the closing seconds, calmly chipping a ball to himself in his own area after Yamal hit the bar.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Noun
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At the start of April a deadly torrent of rains caused flooding across the Midwest, as days of severe storms ravaged much of the central part of the United States.—
Amy Graff,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
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President Donald Trump has unleashed a torrent of protectionist fervor, stoking fears far beyond U.S. borders.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There are two ways to go with your shades: larger-than-life, rock star excess—in which case L.A.-based Jacques Marie Mage are your choice, my favourites are the Admiral, far right ($1,075)—or subtle, sleek frames which perform their function quietly—for these, N.Y.C.’s Moscot are the answer.—
Nick Hendry,
Robb Report,
30 Apr. 2025
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His platform of law and order, free markets, tighter control of immigration, and pushing back on the left’s social excesses was the exact medicine that Canada needed.—
The Editors,
National Review,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Patriots seemingly overfilled their roster after making 11 selections in the 2025 NFL Draft and remaining busy during the undrafted free-agent signing period.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
28 Apr. 2025
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But at a certain point, those areas can become overfilled, leading your body to stow anything additional as visceral fat, which is lodged deep in your belly and is more metabolically active and risky.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflow. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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