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
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Recent Examples of overflows
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
Arkansas Online, 22 Oct. 2025
This book overflows with literary references and sailing knowledge.
—The Know, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
The system captures and diverts roughly 95% of the sewage overflows in the city, or about five billion gallons a year.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 9 Oct. 2025
Why do sewer overflows keep happening?
—Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2025
Cape Town overflows with history and culture, from the colorful houses and Cape Malay heritage of Bo-Kaap to the solemn shores of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years in prison.
—Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
Things take a turn for the worse when, in a moment viewers can't stop talking about all these weeks later, Mark uses the bathroom and the toilet overflows.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
More rural parts of the country can also see overflows from factory farms, leading to large amounts of animal waste and other pollutants ending up in ponds, lakes and rivers.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Bacteria can enter beaches via stormwater runoff, failing septic systems, leaking sewer pipes and sewer overflows, among other sources, according to Massachusetts' Public Health Department and Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health.
—Jillian Frankel, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
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
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
This book overflows with literary references and sailing knowledge.
—The Know, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
The system captures and diverts roughly 95% of the sewage overflows in the city, or about five billion gallons a year.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 9 Oct. 2025
Why do sewer overflows keep happening?
—Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2025
Cape Town overflows with history and culture, from the colorful houses and Cape Malay heritage of Bo-Kaap to the solemn shores of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years in prison.
—Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
Things take a turn for the worse when, in a moment viewers can't stop talking about all these weeks later, Mark uses the bathroom and the toilet overflows.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
More rural parts of the country can also see overflows from factory farms, leading to large amounts of animal waste and other pollutants ending up in ponds, lakes and rivers.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Bacteria can enter beaches via stormwater runoff, failing septic systems, leaking sewer pipes and sewer overflows, among other sources, according to Massachusetts' Public Health Department and Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health.
—Jillian Frankel, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflows
Noun
-
August floods in the Milwaukee area caused significant damage to over 20 food pantries in the Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin network.—
La Risa R. Lynch,
jsonline.com,
23 Oct. 2025
-
When heavy rain occurs, there is a potential for flooding, particularly in areas that are low-lying or prone to floods.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In this approach, BESS handles rapid fluctuations within milliseconds, absorbing short-term surpluses or deficits.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Oct. 2025
-
What regulated actual Southern credit markets, when bondpeople were used as collateral for loans, were surpluses from slave labor, not short-term fluctuations in slave prices.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
During high-water months, water spills over and settles across the floodplain, leaving behind up to 12 inches of fresh soil annually.—
Isa Cardona,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Though Cory lets the info slip to Celine as a bargaining chip, another informant spills the beans.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Later, as the film plays, the crowd bursts intermittently into laughter, cracking up at the clown-car quality of everyone piling into the van for the first time.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic’s steep terrain will force air upward, wringing out more moisture from the storm, just like squeezing a wet sponge, turning tropical humidity into torrents racing downhill.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The death of Banda Amidst the torrents, Arisu follows the sound of Usagi’s voice, as they are both swept towards a watery vortex that leads to the world of the dead.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Over such spans, change overwhelms continuity; too much simply disappears.—
Manvir Singh,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
-
This figure motivates Butrich but also overwhelms her.—
Sabrina Weiss,
The Dial,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The air buzzes with nostalgia and pride as alumni return to the yard, reconnecting with old classmates, sharing stories, and celebrating the legacy that shaped them.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Spaces to roam are flanked by a central courtyard restaurant that buzzes with diners who feast over The House’s signature lobster pasta, moquecas (Brazilian fish stew), and cassava gnocchi.—
Kristin Braswell,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Amid these troubled times, dotted by funding cuts, hope abounds with last week’s launch of the Australian Championship, a second-tier competition that aims to connect the top and bottom of the country’s football pyramid.—
Jack Bantock,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Depth abounds in the backcourt.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overflows.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflows. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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