overflows 1 of 2

plural of overflow

overflows

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of overflow
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
3
as in bursts
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 overflows
Noun
Weeks after overflows from Atlanta’s sewer tunnels contributed to the deaths of thousands of fish on the Chattahoochee River, the city’s Department of Watershed Management says its investigating another fish kill on a different river. Drew Kann, AJC.com, 1 July 2026 As Connecticut’s climate changes, more frequent and intense storms have lead to more overflows. Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026 The contamination, according to the organization, is often caused by sewage overflows, waste from large-scale farming, and urban runoff. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2026 Researchers believe periodic flooding and river overflows helped preserve the eggs by covering them in sediment millions of years ago. Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026 As long as the 83/17 split remains in place, protecting local waterways from combined sewer overflows will continue to exacerbate the water affordability crisis in Detroit. Nicole Van Lier, The Conversation, 13 May 2026 That can allow attackers to leverage serious vulnerabilities like buffer overflows and memory leaks to compromise devices. Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 13 Apr. 2026 And in places where sewage and rain flow through the same pipes, heavy rains made worse by climate change can make overflows to waterways more frequent and severe. ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026 The overflows have triggered a number of recreational and shellfish harvesting advisories along the Potomac. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 22 Feb. 2026
Verb
These overflows may send stormwater mixed with untreated or partially treated sewage into waterways. Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026 But the film overflows with childlike wonder, a comic-strip dream of girls next door and nerdy weirdoes growing muscles with puberty. Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Aug. 2026 Apart from animal experiences, this seasonal outdoor water park overflows with plenty of rides, slides, rivers, and swimming areas like the Big Surf Shores wave pool or the Walhalla Wave tube ride. Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 31 July 2026 While the city overflows with social events, navigating its defining food and drink moments can feel chaotic. Rachel Dube, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 America’s largest indoor/outdoor water park overflows with eight water parks (four indoor, four outdoor), ziplines, minigolf, laser tag, go-karts, a spa, golf course, and more. Alicia Underlee Nelson, Midwest Living, 15 July 2026 Those who have lived in Pittsburgh for years have witnessed incidents, including oil spills and sewage overflows, that invite skepticism about river safety. Daniel Bain, The Conversation, 22 June 2026 The background jar stands alone, while the piece in the foreground overflows with a rainbow of plants, flowers, fruit, chamoy candies, gummies and a single real butterfly. Stephanie Shih june 17, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026 Our deals page overflows with offers. K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflows
Noun
  • With less than 2% of California homes insured against floods, an El Niño winter is a timely reminder to explore coverage through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program.
    Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The floods also altered the course of the White River, which is now flowing into the Martin Marietta quarry at 96th Street and Gray Road, which can hold millions of gallons of water.
    John Tufts, IndyStar, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • In theory, governments are supposed to balance out deficits in bad times with surpluses in good times.
    Editorial Board, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Both post test scores far below the state average, and the funding formula leaves Hartford’s own school district starved while CREC thrives with surpluses.
    State Rep Maryam Khan, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Before long, the train passes Bridal Veil Falls, where water spills down a granite cliff beside the tracks, followed by Inspiration Point, a dramatic overlook that offers sweeping views back toward Skagway and the Taiya Inlet.
    Bailey Berg, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026
  • So, when Obama leaves the room for a moment, David takes the opportunity to sneak a sip and accidentally spills the orange drink all over the president’s suit jacket, which was resting on a chair.
    Mike Miller, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • And yet, in Yoon’s hands, a character’s suffering never overwhelms their capacity for tenderness.
    Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
  • One person has died and rescues are underway as catastrophic flooding overwhelms the Hill Country, a little more than a year after the July 4 floods killed more than 130 people in Central Texas.
    Mary Ella Hastings July 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
Verb
  • Things quickly take a terrifying turn during surgery when a scorpion tail suddenly bursts through Perry’s back, attacking one of the surgeons mid-operation.
    Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
  • Haaland bursts our bubble almost immediately by scoring in the opening five minutes, and Burnley miss a few good first-half chances, with striker Zian Flemming particularly culpable.
    Nnamdi Onyeagwara, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Total rainfall of nearly 3 feet was expected on the higher windward slopes, turning rivers into raging torrents and threatening mudslides.
    Alexa St. John, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Citizens poured out torrents of letters to editors complaining of Holmes’s fate.
    Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Across the 10 seasons PSR was in operation from 2015-16 onwards, our calculations turned up 40 separate instances of SCR excesses.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Historical legacy is not destiny, and Russia’s excesses cannot be blamed solely on its ties to the political culture of the steppes.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Stand-Up Paddleboarding at Lakeside Marina Jessica Verne The alarm buzzes early on our second full day in South Lake Tahoe.
    Wendy Altschuler, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The kitchen buzzes as volunteers carry in trays of Creole dishes and barbecue while one of the sisters stirs a large cooler of lemon margaritas.
    Windsor Johnston, NPR, 17 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Overflows.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflows. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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