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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overflow
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2025
Mostly about speed or noise of vehicles on public streets, and one complaint was about overflow parking in the residential neighborhood across from the outlets.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025
Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
Hesse’s life experiences would make for a fascinating movie, even without charisma, but the fact that the 90-year-old overflows with the joy of being alive and unending passion for cinema makes the director’s job a lot easier.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overflow
Noun
However, in homes of varying sizes and seasons, a coat closet can become the default overflow for bedding and towels, especially when their dedicated closets are hard to reach or already full.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2025
Mostly about speed or noise of vehicles on public streets, and one complaint was about overflow parking in the residential neighborhood across from the outlets.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
The profile of this shoe is one that feels inherently familiar, but childlike playfulness is also secured vis-à-vis the fluffy sheepskin that seems to overflow from its color-happy laces.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
Hesse’s life experiences would make for a fascinating movie, even without charisma, but the fact that the 90-year-old overflows with the joy of being alive and unending passion for cinema makes the director’s job a lot easier.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overflow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflow
Noun
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But, locally, even a temporary closure of CalFresh will push a flood of hungry people toward free food providers, a countywide network of roughly 600 food pantries and food banks.—
Andre Mouchard,
Oc Register,
26 Oct. 2025
-
This could trigger life-threatening floods and landslides, especially in regions that are recovering from prior storms.—
Daniel Orton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Despite the early playoff exit, Boston's future looks bright, with the team boasting a surplus of talented young players, including Roman Anthony.—
Shaun McAvoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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The school had a surplus of some items — like dozens of conga drums found in an instrument inventory, still wrapped in plastic — and a shortage of others, like student textbooks.—
Vidushi Mishti Sharma,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But in stoppage time, Miami was gifted a third goal when Jordi Alba crossed from the left and keeper Willis, colliding with defender Walker Zimmerman, spilled the ball right to Messi, who had the simplest of tap-ins.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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The White House warned that Americans should expect airport delays and disruptions if the shutdown spills into the Thanksgiving holiday, when travel historically spikes.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Members of Congress wrote to NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Friday, asking him to provide a briefing by October 31 relating to the gambling scandal that engulfed the league earlier this week.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Within seconds, intense flames engulfed the entire body of the electric minivan, leaving only a charred frame behind.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Messi picked up the ball from his compatriot Rodrigo De Paul in midfield and burst toward the backpedaling Nashville back line before slipping the ball outside to Luis Suárez.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The areas facing the sun heat up fastest, and if there is a weaker area on the surface of the comet, sublimated gases under the surface can burst through — causing these sun-facing jets.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic’s steep terrain will force air upward, wringing out more moisture from the storm, just like squeezing a wet sponge, turning tropical humidity into torrents racing downhill.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
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The demolition this week kicked off a torrent of criticism.—
Karen Travers,
ABC News,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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During winter months when water demand is low, the city would have to store the excess in either a reservoir or some kind of storage basin.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Oct. 2025
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Millions remain far from liberated from economic pressure, and few of us feel burdened by an excess of free time.—
Arianna Huffington,
Fortune,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The consensus seemed to be that the rains that arrived on Monday, which didn’t seem as strong or frequent as the weekend storms, wouldn’t overfill the river.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
14 Oct. 2025
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Just be sure to wash towels according to color and never overfill the machine.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflow. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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