1
as in floods
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 surpluses
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 spills
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 engulfs
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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of overflows
Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Officials at the Water Reclamation Authority are pursuing new goals after the utility was officially released last year from a pair of longstanding legal agreements that required the utility to address sewer overflows, leading to major investments across the system.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Oct. 2025
Human waste and trash overflows became so problematic at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California that the parks were forced to close, according to the association.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2025
Post updated to remove comparison to buffer overflows and SQL injections.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
What has the city done about the overflows?
—Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2025
This would prevent combined sewer overflows, which is when sewage floods area stormwater lines and deposits into local waterbodies.
—Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2025
Since 1995, the sewerage district has invested more than $580 million in green infrastructure and flood management projects to improve the landscape's ability to hold onto water, minimizing overflows.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Wetlands protect homes, reduce sewer overflows and safeguard lives.
—Howard Learner, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
Kenny Choi, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
In 2012, Connecticut passed the first Sewage Right-to-Know law requiring DEEP to post the locations of combined sewer overflows and to begin posting unanticipated sewage spills on the agency’s website.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 16 Jan. 2026
The basement floods when nearby Hogans Creek overflows.
—David Bauerlein, Florida Times-Union, 14 Jan. 2026
Anger overflows in west Altadena.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Good morning, Free Press subscribers, The Motor City overflows with big-time automotive events this week.
—Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 10 Jan. 2026
Down overflows with ebullient confidence, whereas Kay is more anxious and cerebral.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
Hesse’s life experiences would make for a fascinating movie, even without charisma, but the fact that the 90-year-old overflows with the joy of being alive and unending passion for cinema makes the director’s job a lot easier.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
The rate adjustments over the past 20 years were meant to allow the utility to meet its requirements related to the sewer overflows, Block told the Board of Directors during a meeting last week.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
The buildup can also clog sewage systems, leading to overflows that send raw sewage into rivers, lakes, and oceans.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Officials at the Water Reclamation Authority are pursuing new goals after the utility was officially released last year from a pair of longstanding legal agreements that required the utility to address sewer overflows, leading to major investments across the system.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Oct. 2025
Human waste and trash overflows became so problematic at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California that the parks were forced to close, according to the association.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2025
Post updated to remove comparison to buffer overflows and SQL injections.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
What has the city done about the overflows?
—Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2025
This would prevent combined sewer overflows, which is when sewage floods area stormwater lines and deposits into local waterbodies.
—Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2025
Since 1995, the sewerage district has invested more than $580 million in green infrastructure and flood management projects to improve the landscape's ability to hold onto water, minimizing overflows.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Wetlands protect homes, reduce sewer overflows and safeguard lives.
—Howard Learner, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
Mass migration, overflows at the border, and worsening street conditions because of drug dealing and crime in San Francisco are some of the issues Karina Velasquez started paying more attention to after the 2020 elections.
—Kenny Choi, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
In 2012, Connecticut passed the first Sewage Right-to-Know law requiring DEEP to post the locations of combined sewer overflows and to begin posting unanticipated sewage spills on the agency’s website.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 16 Jan. 2026
The basement floods when nearby Hogans Creek overflows.
—David Bauerlein, Florida Times-Union, 14 Jan. 2026
Anger overflows in west Altadena.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Good morning, Free Press subscribers, The Motor City overflows with big-time automotive events this week.
—Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 10 Jan. 2026
Down overflows with ebullient confidence, whereas Kay is more anxious and cerebral.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025
Hesse’s life experiences would make for a fascinating movie, even without charisma, but the fact that the 90-year-old overflows with the joy of being alive and unending passion for cinema makes the director’s job a lot easier.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
The rate adjustments over the past 20 years were meant to allow the utility to meet its requirements related to the sewer overflows, Block told the Board of Directors during a meeting last week.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflows
Noun
-
Diving bell spiders, for example, trap air bubbles to survive underwater, while fire ants link their water-repellent bodies together to form floating rafts during floods.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Finally, as climate challenges grow, school meals can build local capacity, which can help communities endure droughts, floods, wars, and other crises.—
Reem Alabali Radovan,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As salaries increased, the state has rolled up operating surpluses for the past seven years as capital gains on Wall Street has generated billions of dollars that are largely paid by millionaires and billionaires in Fairfield County.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The program ended in 1943 as the war drew to an end, and there were fewer surpluses.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Managers who build this leadership skill recognize rising stress signals and adjust before that pressure spills onto their teams, protecting trust and employee happiness.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Clean trash can spills or stains right away so odors don’t linger.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The 60-year immigration bubble finally bursts.—
,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Once a cushioned conduit to the other side, the casket now bursts with the wisdom of a life lived outside the box.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In 2017, soaking storms led to flooding that caused $100 million in damage in downtown San Jose and the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people when the spillway at Oroville Dam, the nation’s tallest dam, in Butte County, partially collapsed under torrents of water.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Without intervention, water flows off the steep slopes in torrents, rapidly stripping away soil.—
Stephen Acabado,
The Conversation,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Between the time of the Revolution and the ratification of the Constitution, the framers had become increasingly suspicious of the democratic excesses of legislatures.—
Bernadette Meyler,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
First, the hotel’s (heated) Haven Pool lives up to its name and is a great spot to recover from any excesses—or just to spend a quiet afternoon.—
Paul Oswell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
What overwhelms her isn’t the wedding itself, but the realization that her lifelong role as Lexi’s default person is about to shift.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
28 Jan. 2026
-
But for families with young kids, there is one cost that overwhelms almost everything else — child care.—
Liam Stanton,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This hotel buzzes with young style- and budget-conscious travelers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Getty Images Of the nine players in the Rays’ batting order Opening Day 2025 against the visiting Rockies, only four remain with the club less than one month before Charlotte Sports Park buzzes with activity that signals the start of spring training.—
Tom Layberger,
Forbes.com,
17 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overflows.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflows. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
