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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of overflow
Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 May 2025
People were lined up outside the hearing room and in a separate overflow room down the hall in the Capitol.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 1 May 2025
Chris Lau, CNN Money, 19 May 2025
Heavy rain hit Pennsylvania down to North Carolina on Tuesday, causing rivers and creeks to overflow, turning streets into rivers, and toppling trees that blocked traffic in the Washington D.C. area.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for overflow
Noun
Some of the property has trees and overgrowth, and a portion is still used as overflow parking for the convention center, a spokesperson confirmed.
—Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 May 2025
People were lined up outside the hearing room and in a separate overflow room down the hall in the Capitol.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 1 May 2025
Verb
But the fear has also spread to other markets such as Thailand and Vietnam, where social media platforms are overflowing with posts and videos warning people to think twice before traveling to Japan.
—Chris Lau, CNN Money, 19 May 2025
Heavy rain hit Pennsylvania down to North Carolina on Tuesday, causing rivers and creeks to overflow, turning streets into rivers, and toppling trees that blocked traffic in the Washington D.C. area.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for overflow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflow
Noun
-
But amid the worries about bridge collapses and floods and species extinction and famine, a teacher named Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor) primarily spends his time trying to calm his students and their parents about the fact that the internet is down.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
6 June 2025
-
The devastation caused by climate change — wildfires, floods, excessive heat, more numerous and catastrophic storms — is wreaking havoc on the planet.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
The investment bank sees a surplus of 1 million bpd this year and 1.5 million bpd in 2026.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
2 June 2025
-
But the portion of the decision that raised the most hackles revised the rules so that new rooftop solar customers would no longer be credited at the retail rate of electricity when their systems generated surplus energy.—
Rob Nikolewski,
Mercury News,
2 June 2025
Verb
-
The action spilled to the outside, where Lyra hit another great high spot, this time a flying leg drop on Lynch, who was draped over the barricade.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
-
Anti-Musk sentiment spilled onto sidewalks outside of Tesla showrooms with 60 demonstrations scheduled Saturday in cities such as Delray Beach, Florida; Louisville, Kentucky; and Decatur, Georgia, as part of the Tesla Takedown movement, which began in mid-February amid Musk’s role with DOGE.—
Auzinea Bacon,
CNN Money,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
Videos circulating on Chinese social media showed gray and orange smoke billowing upwards, engulfing buildings in an industrial park.—
Nectar Gan,
CNN Money,
27 May 2025
-
During his interview with Piers Morgan, Tapper compared the scale of the events to Watergate, the scandal that engulfed former President Richard Nixon in the 1970s.—
Chloe Mayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
But there is part of me that actually believes Wayne was at his creative peak on 2004’s Tha Carter, where the Cash Money little brother with a chip on his shoulder collides with the looser, throne-craving supernova, ready to burst.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
6 June 2025
-
In Raleigh, North Carolina, a water utility organization uses AI to forecast which pipes are most likely to burst, helping crews replace them proactively.—
Darshan Tiwari,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
This newfound freedom could unlock a torrent of human potential: Innovation and creativity: With basic needs met, individuals would be free to pursue education, engage in creative endeavors, or launch entrepreneurial ventures that could benefit society in unforeseen ways.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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English-language creators have also puked out a torrent of AI musical erotica, but nothing that plays on a piece of cultural heritage that’s been memed to oblivion as much as A Midsummer Night’s Lewd Dream.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
14 May 2025
Noun
-
Read More: Lee Jae-myung Aims to Steer South Korea Through Crisis A populist shaped by his years as a labor and human rights lawyer, Lee has long advocated for a stronger state role in redistributing economic gains and curbing the excesses of South Korea’s powerful conglomerates.—
Ian Bremmer,
Time,
3 June 2025
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But the soft power derived from American culture will not survive the excesses of the U.S. government during the next four years if American democracy continues to erode and the country acts as a bully abroad.—
Robert O. Keohane,
Foreign Affairs,
2 June 2025
Verb
-
They had been rather carelessly overfilled and half an inch of gas sloshed on top of the barrels.—
Charles Elliott,
Outdoor Life,
1 May 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflow. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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