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
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Recent Examples of overflow
Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
Diddy is still paying Jane's rent As the day was coming to a close, Jane dropped a bombshell that drew gasps in the overflow room where my colleague Patrick Ryan was seated in.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 7 June 2025
Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025
Fortunately, Amazon is overflowing with affordable, stylish, and cooling linen pants that will instantly upgrade your most casual outfits while keeping you comfy, regardless of the temperature.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for overflow
Noun
Thirty people watched the proceedings from an overflow room and dozens of supporters filled the main courtroom.
—Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
Diddy is still paying Jane's rent As the day was coming to a close, Jane dropped a bombshell that drew gasps in the overflow room where my colleague Patrick Ryan was seated in.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 7 June 2025
Verb
Drawers get jammed, pantries overflow, and closets become impossible to navigate.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025
Fortunately, Amazon is overflowing with affordable, stylish, and cooling linen pants that will instantly upgrade your most casual outfits while keeping you comfy, regardless of the temperature.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for overflow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflow
Noun
-
Nothing quite as splashy there, but reps from Max and Lupin maker Gaumont Television France gave their views on some live issues, as boiling hot temperatures gave way to biblical floods in the mountainous locale.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
20 June 2025
-
During periods of intense rainfall, the risk of flooding increases, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
Today, the company focuses on securing land with surplus electricity — renewable, solar, wind, nuclear, grid or off-grid — and reliable internet connectivity.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
20 June 2025
-
At the end of the Cryogenian, when the ice melted and the frozen continents thawed, a surplus of nutrient-rich meltwater flooded Earth.—
David Bressan,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Verb
-
Boundary management—Knowing how to set limits on time and energy in roles that can easily spill over into off-hours, particularly for remote or freelance work.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
For almost two weeks, social media has spilled over with videos capturing immigration agents at shopping centers and markets and on neighborhood streets, and federal agents making arrests at swap meets, car washes and other businesses.—
Salvador Hernandez,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2025
Verb
-
As the week goes on, heat will expand into the Midwest and the Great Lakes area before engulfing the Northeast this weekend in what will be the region’s first prolonged heat wave.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
18 June 2025
-
In both the 2020 and 2025 videos, car 504 appears with its hood open, and car 658 is engulfed in flames.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 June 2025
Verb
-
Fort Erie bursts with American tourists in the summertime, but today is empty on a gray May morning.—
Stephen Rodrick,
Rolling Stone,
19 June 2025
-
France’s Nolan Traoré, who burst onto the international scene after sparkling at the 2024 Hoop Summit, was thought of as a potential high lottery pick this time last year, but an inconsistent season playing for Saint-Quentin in France’s LNB Pro A League has slowed his roll.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
But that hasn't stopped a torrent of big news this week, from exploding Starships to significant reuse milestones being reached in Asia.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
20 June 2025
-
On a purely textual level, the sentences are a torrent, jouncing on rocks, gliding gleefully through mud.—
Jane Alison
June 17,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
Yet the Iceland international midfielder quickly came to be seen as a symbol of the regime’s financial excess and muddled thinking.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
-
Just after the plant finishes blooming, prune excess growth back to 6 inches.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2025
Verb
-
This provides a tangible way to avoid overfilling and helps create a sense of accountability.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2025
-
Also, your bladder becomes overfilled to accommodate a large volume of urine and is less efficient in emptying, which leads to incomplete bladder emptying and possibly even urinary tract infections.—
Sara Reardon,
Flow Space,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflow. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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