Definition of overflownext
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
Because Paris’ existing sewers, built during Haussmann’s 19th-century modernization of the city, combine rainwater and wastewater in the same pipes, heavy rain has always sent the overflow straight into the river. Camille Knight, CNN Money, 4 July 2026 Most barrels also feature an overflow valve to safely divert excess water away from your home's foundation during heavy storms. Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 July 2026
Verb
The situation overflows with potential conflicts of interest. Dan Alexander, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 When Christmas rolls around, her home can be found overflowing with cheerful Hobby Lobby finds, from red and green adornments to unique, oversized jingle bells. Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for overflow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflow
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Dondi’s son and son-in-law kept combing the flood area for objects, as did her husband, who also transported bins of things back to the warehouse and coached volunteers.
    Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • And in 1993, after many more floods, the Mississippi swelled again, this time with memorable cruelty.
    Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Noun
  • When energy demand is low and renewable energy supply is in surplus, the Nova Spin uses its electric motor to accelerate the steel rotor inside the unit.
    Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
  • Instead, the Sharks got two defensemen who are not elite and a forward who might just be a surplus to immediate needs.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • But players from both dugouts and bullpens already began to spill onto the field.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • The stock-specific approach contrasts with expectations that the surge in Korean and Taiwanese stock markets, dominated by local chip giants, would spill over into China more broadly.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • Platner's withdrawal caps days of turmoil that had engulfed his campaign and intensifies pressure on Democratic leaders to quickly coalesce around an alternative candidate.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 9 July 2026
  • That raised concerns that the region could tip back into a war that would engulf several countries and could halt energy shipments through the strait that are crucial for the global economy.
    Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • Reservoirs were breached or burst after Tropical Storm Maysak hit Guangxi, sending torrents of water into towns and cities.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
  • As other reviewers have also noted, sound quality is superb on the GA lawn, which was full to bursting with blankets and rentable lawn chairs.
    Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 7 July 2026
Noun
  • His second-guessing doesn’t stanch his inner torrent of bile, which continues through dinner with Irène and her mother, and goes on for another fifteen pages of emotional hypotheticals and conditionals.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
  • Most of the deaths were in Hengzhou, where the partial collapse of a reservoir dam sent torrents of water into the city and claimed 26 lives, said Ding Wei, the vice mayor of Nanning city, which has jurisdiction over the area.
    ABC News, ABC News, 9 July 2026
Noun
  • France’s reputation for red tape and bureaucratic excess very much applies to AC units.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
  • Lift okra from egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off; dredge in cornmeal mixture, pressing gently to fully coat each piece.
    Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • In June 2025, nearly 5,000 gallons of diesel were spilled from the Johns Hopkins University campus when a contractor overfilled emergency generators.
    JT Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 26 June 2026
  • Especially today, when spaces can easily feel overfilled, being intentional about what isn’t there can be just as important as what is.
    Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflow. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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