1
as in teeming
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in spilling
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 flooding
to cover with a flood
the swollen river overflowed the surrounding land and washed several houses away
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bursting
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 overflowing
Ben Pickman, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
The more unexpected takeaway was the show's graphic depiction of an overflowing toilet as the climax of the episode, which was set on Thanksgiving Day.
—Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
In the suburban village of Wauwatosa, an overflowing and fast-moving Menomonee River submerged a popular playground.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Penny Weaver, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2025
My husband, on the other hand, grew up in a house with stockings so overflowing with gifts that his grandmother actually transitioned them to giant TJ Maxx totes—the bounty simply couldn’t be contained by something small enough to hang from a mantel.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
The damage across eastern Cuba has been severe and widespread, with major flooding leaving homes underwater, rivers overflowing, and landslides blocking access to communities.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
Furloughed staff have led to uncollected trash, overflowing toilets, and other hazards in national parks.
—Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Imagine, Sagittarius is ruled by expansive Jupiter — the largest planet in our solar system — known for its overflowing enthusiasm and grand gestures, while Mercury thrives on facts and details.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Amid towering speakers, gold records, stacks of videotapes, Sony Trinitrons, overflowing ashtrays, and a bar stocked with tequila and a lineup of squat green Dom Pérignon bottles sent over by the labels, the Les Garland Show streamed.
—Tom Freston, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2025
While you might be tempted to greet your dog with overflowing love and affection, Millan says this is the wrong approach.
—Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
There are nationwide nurse shortages, declining numbers of primary care providers, overflowing hospitals, and ever-increasing ER wait times.
—Dr. Bryce Pulliam, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
So there Wilson went toward the overflowing Aces’ bench.
—Ben Pickman, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
The more unexpected takeaway was the show's graphic depiction of an overflowing toilet as the climax of the episode, which was set on Thanksgiving Day.
—Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025
In the suburban village of Wauwatosa, an overflowing and fast-moving Menomonee River submerged a popular playground.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
Prisoners tend to use more due to flushing various items and, often, intentionally plugging toilets and overflowing them, according to industry publication Correctional News.
—Penny Weaver, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2025
My husband, on the other hand, grew up in a house with stockings so overflowing with gifts that his grandmother actually transitioned them to giant TJ Maxx totes—the bounty simply couldn’t be contained by something small enough to hang from a mantel.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
The damage across eastern Cuba has been severe and widespread, with major flooding leaving homes underwater, rivers overflowing, and landslides blocking access to communities.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025
Furloughed staff have led to uncollected trash, overflowing toilets, and other hazards in national parks.
—Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Imagine, Sagittarius is ruled by expansive Jupiter — the largest planet in our solar system — known for its overflowing enthusiasm and grand gestures, while Mercury thrives on facts and details.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Amid towering speakers, gold records, stacks of videotapes, Sony Trinitrons, overflowing ashtrays, and a bar stocked with tequila and a lineup of squat green Dom Pérignon bottles sent over by the labels, the Les Garland Show streamed.
—Tom Freston, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2025
While you might be tempted to greet your dog with overflowing love and affection, Millan says this is the wrong approach.
—Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025
There are nationwide nurse shortages, declining numbers of primary care providers, overflowing hospitals, and ever-increasing ER wait times.
—Dr. Bryce Pulliam, Time, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflowing
Adjective
-
As the head of a startup, Wood is familiar with the challenge of an overloaded schedule.—
Megan Sauer,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
-
For years, the power lines, poles and transformers on the aging circuit, known by the number 135-22, that serves his neighborhood, increasingly became overloaded.—
Ivan Penn,
New York Times,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Displacement is spilling over into Chad, South Sudan, and Ethiopia.—
David Miliband,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The conglomerates’ beef is now spilling into football and basketball seasons.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Construction fines at the site For Smith, the biggest concern was flooding in his backyard.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Theories range from the Fitzgerald striking a shoal and suffering bottom damage to flooding through the freighter's hatch covers, which filled the ship with water and sank it, to rogue waves, to structural flaws in the ship that the 1975 storm made deadly.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
City soon claimed the blueprint as their own, bursting through on goal on four occasions after sweeping moves.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Plant sugars usually concentrate in plant leaves and roots and act as a sort of natural anti-freeze that keeps plant cells from bursting in the cold.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Wearing a well-fitting, high-quality mask in crowded indoor spaces also can reduce the risk of contracting respiratory infections or spreading your illness to others.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
-
With wintry weather and crowded airports, Thanksgiving travel can already be stressful.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Suarez blames too many New Yorkers moving in for the inflated real-estate prices.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
-
In high-cost coastal cities, higher incomes tend to offset the inflated prices.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Grill them about the perils of overfilling the spool.—
The Editors,
Outdoor Life,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Images circulating on social media show a massive fire engulfing the Waldo's store.—
NPR,
NPR,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Israel’s self-defense policies risk engulfing the region in turmoil and harming the country’s stability.—
Yossi Shelley,
semafor.com,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overflowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflowing. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share