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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in overloaded
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overflowing
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
Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2025
This autumn, Target is overflowing with fall knits.
—Melody Kazel, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2025
The sensual lips turned inward, busy with the sorrow overflowing from his heart.
—Garth Greenwell, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The song is sprinkled with vibrant 80s-esque house synths and lyrics that are overflowing with self-confidence.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 19 Sep. 2025
The storms produced more than a foot of rain in some areas, causing notable damage from overflowing rivers and streams as well as system failures that pushed raw sewage up through drains in homes and businesses.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, and other elite universities draw applicant pools overflowing with valedictorians, small business owners, nonprofit founders, competition winners, and global changemakers—and this won’t change with the demographic shift.
—Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In a city overflowing with art fairs and festivals, there’s one gathering that serves as a call to community.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 17 Sep. 2025
Noted as one of California’s oldest neighborhoods, its main drag, the quaint Los Rios Street, is overflowing with trees, flowers, shrubbery, cacti and other flora.
—Staff Report, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
Adjective
Picture long wooden tables where strangers become friends over overflowing steins, brass bands keeping the polka beat alive, and platters of sausages carried out faster than they can be eaten.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2025
This autumn, Target is overflowing with fall knits.
—Melody Kazel, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2025
The sensual lips turned inward, busy with the sorrow overflowing from his heart.
—Garth Greenwell, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The song is sprinkled with vibrant 80s-esque house synths and lyrics that are overflowing with self-confidence.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 19 Sep. 2025
The storms produced more than a foot of rain in some areas, causing notable damage from overflowing rivers and streams as well as system failures that pushed raw sewage up through drains in homes and businesses.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, and other elite universities draw applicant pools overflowing with valedictorians, small business owners, nonprofit founders, competition winners, and global changemakers—and this won’t change with the demographic shift.
—Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In a city overflowing with art fairs and festivals, there’s one gathering that serves as a call to community.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 17 Sep. 2025
Noted as one of California’s oldest neighborhoods, its main drag, the quaint Los Rios Street, is overflowing with trees, flowers, shrubbery, cacti and other flora.
—Staff Report, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflowing
Verb
-
Martha Edelheit reimagines Gustave Courbet’s studio as a pandemonium of female bodies spilling across beds and fields.—
Jerry Saltz,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Safely experience it during a sunrise hike with expert guides, beginning with a ride to King Kong Hill before catching the first rays of sunlight spilling over the crater.—
Desiree Norman,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Saltwater seeps into gardens, storms batter homes, and flooding disrupts daily life.—
Feleti Penitala Teo,
Time,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Without being told, users discovered it and began flooding in ideas.—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Prior to that bubble bursting, the price of gold sank because investors were notoriously over-optimistic about tech stocks.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Henry shot right up the gut on a draw, bursting through the hole untouched and then easily leaving the Rams’ defense in the dust.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Spencer were notified on Friday of an overloaded vessel with 191 migrant onboard being disabled in international waters.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
2 Sep. 2025
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Both offer epic burgers, Friday catfish and overloaded sundaes.—
Kat Robinson RIVER VALLEY EATS,
Arkansas Online,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Macrophages, immune cells that live in our tissues, are responsible for engulfing and digesting bacteria, dead and damaged cells, and harmful invaders like cancer cells.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
23 Sep. 2025
-
His powers included manipulating fire, engulfing his body in flames, superhuman strength and flying.—
Olivia Singh,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
How this business could possibly be profitable for all parties wasn’t entirely clear at the event, but the Yang Gangers were buzzing about it.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
24 Sep. 2025
-
First opened in 1994 within the top 14 floors of Kenzo Tange’s Shinjuku Park Tower, Park Hyatt Tokyo quickly became the standard-bearer for luxury hotels in the buzzing metropolis over the next two decades.—
Yukari Sakamoto,
AFAR Media,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Ravenna offers a less crowded alternative to popular Italian destinations like Venice and Rome.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Forever remembered and loved In the crowded police conference room, love for Rylo filled the air.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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These modern takes on bright red will still provide warmth and drama to the room without overwhelming the space or clashing with other design elements.—
Tessa Cooper,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Sep. 2025
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At Proenza Schouler and Tory Burch, red was woven into textural details that demanded attention without overwhelming the garment—on bags, shoes, jumpers, dresses, and shorts.—
Essence,
Essence,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overflowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflowing. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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