flood

1 of 2

noun

ˈfləd 

1

a

: a rising and overflowing of a body of water especially onto normally dry land

The flood inundated the whole area.

also : a condition of overflowing

rivers in flood

b

capitalized : a flood described in the Bible as covering the earth in the time of Noah

2

: the flowing in of the tide

3

: an overwhelming quantity or volume

received a flood of phone calls

also : a state of abundant flow or volume or of greatest activity

—often used in the phrase in full flood

a debate in full flood

a political movement in full flood

4

: floodlight

flood

2 of 2

verb

flooded; flooding; floods

transitive verb

1

: to cover with a flood : inundate

2

a

: to fill abundantly or excessively

flood the market

b

: to supply an excess of fuel to (an engine, a carburetor, etc.) so that engine operation is hampered

intransitive verb

1

: to pour forth, go, or come in a flood

2

: to become filled with a flood

flooder noun

Synonyms

Noun

• alluvion
• bath
• cataclysm
• cataract
• deluge
• flood tide
• inundation
• Niagara
• overflow
• spate
• torrent

Verb

• deluge
• drown
• engulf
• gulf
• inundate
• overflow
• overwhelm
• submerge
• submerse
• swamp

Examples of flood in a Sentence

Noun

A flood inundated the whole area.

the devastating flood of 1936

The water has risen to flood level.

We've received a flood of mail.

a flood of phone calls

Seeing her again brought back a flood of memories.

Verb

Heavy rains flooded the valley.

The rivers are close to flooding.

The valley flooded after the heavy rains.

The plain floods every spring.

The room was flooded with light.

The company plans to flood the market with this product.

The office has been flooded with phone calls.

The phone calls have been flooding in.

Refugees flooded into the camp.

Light flooded into the room.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The drop in output early this year was traced to a flood of imports – which are subtracted from gross domestic product – as businesses raced to order goods before President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect. —Paul Davidson, USA Today, 2 May 2025

That stance was rewarded by a flood of new memberships. —Leslie Kelly, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025

Verb

Last week, Billboard’s purchase-only charts were flooded with new releases. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025

Social media was flooded with references to The Handmaid’s Tale. —Seyward Darby, Vogue, 3 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English flōd; akin to Old High German fluot flood, Old English flōwan to flow

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1663, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing flood

• flash flood
• flood tide
• in flood
• in full flood

Rhymes for flood

• blood
• bud
• crud
• dud
• mud
• rud
• scud
• spud
• stud
• thud
• lifeblood
• youngblood

Kids Definition

flood

1 of 2 noun

ˈfləd 

1

a

: a great flow of water that rises and spreads over the land

b

capitalized : a flood described in the Bible as covering the earth in the time of Noah

2

: the flowing in of the tide

3

: an overwhelming quantity or volume

a flood of mail

flood

2 of 2 verb

1

: to cover or become filled with a flood

2

: to fill as if with a flood

a room flooded with light

flood a carburetor

3

: to pour forth, go, or come in a flood

Medical Definition

flood

intransitive verb

ˈfləd 

: to have an excessive menstrual flow or a uterine hemorrhage after childbirth