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
After fielding complaints from Mangione’s defense team about potential space limitations, court administrators arranged for an overflow room. Adam Reiss, NBC news, 11 Aug. 2026 For years, waste collection at the site has relied on a 6-yard compactor and a 5-yard overflow bin. Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
Medasin, whose thesis was already overflowing with preemptive volleys and counterfactuals, batted away the refutation. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026 Sports bars and restaurants overflowed with customers who drank beer taps dry. Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overflow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflow
Noun
  • The loss of virtual companions has provoked a flood of complaints, according to posts and screenshots shown on social media.
    ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Campaigners have called on policymakers to impose higher taxes on energy majors to help fund climate-resilient infrastructure, such as fire and flood defenses.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Learn how to measure flour the Test Kitchen way, and remember that dipping the measuring cup in the flour and scooping it out generally results in a 25-gram surplus of flour.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Carnegie urged the rich to live modestly and to direct the surplus toward universities, libraries, medical institutions and public parks.
    Gautam Mukunda, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Earlier this year, news outlets reported that a truck carrying paraquat spilled around 60 gallons of the herbicide in Dorris in Siskiyou County, which borders Oregon.
    Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The Emmy-winning actor has come forward as the individual Rhea Seehorn alluded to, but did not name, in a June Instagram post that revealed someone spilled wine on her at the Gotham TV Awards.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Its cells would then engulf the food particle and break it down into its constituent molecules.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Aerial images of the site showed a massive debris field around the remains of a house that was engulfed in flames.
    CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Authorities rescued residents from high water in several areas in Indiana, including Delaware, Madison, Wayne and Henry counties as rivers burst their banks.
    Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Lavandeira also defended her brother, who in the early aughts burst onto the internet’s celebrity culture and gossip scene with shocking headlines and often lewd doodles over celeb images.
    Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Social media companies faced a torrent of lawsuits alleging that their design can cause addictive behavior and harm users' mental health.
    Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Authorities warned of a high risk of geological disasters in parts of Zhejiang, while residents in areas covered by a red mountain-torrent warning were told to ‌follow local evacuation orders.
    Reuters, NBC news, 9 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The spectacle, scale and wonderfully unapologetic excess are precisely why millions keep returning.
    Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Is there still unfinished business in rationalizing the excesses of the semiconductor surge, which formed the core of the momentum-stock frenzy?
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • On the other hand, overfilling the drum can strain the motor and reduce cleaning efficiency.
    Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2026
  • Doctors overfill their schedules and often put in double shifts at the hospital.
    AllBusiness, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflow. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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