over·flow
ˌō-vər-ˈflō 
overflowed; overflowing; overflows
1
: to cover with or as if with water : inundate
2
: to flow over the brim of
3
: to cause to overflow
1
: to flow over bounds
2
: to fill a space to capacity and spread beyond its limits
the crowd overflowed into the street
over·flow
ˈō-vər-ˌflō
1
: a flowing over : inundation
2
: something that flows over : surplus
3
: an outlet or receptacle for surplus liquid
Synonyms
Examples of overflow in a Sentence
Verb
The river overflowed its banks.
The creek overflows every spring.
The water in the tub overflowed.
Books and papers overflowed his desk.
The paragraph overflowed the page.
Noun
a great overflow of water from the heavy rains swept mud and silt down onto the highway
an overflow of help actually made the job more complicated
Recent Examples on the Web
Tiney Ricciardi, The Denver Post, 19 Nov. 2024
The stormwaters overflowed the Magro and Turia river basins and the Poyo riverbed, the AP reports, leading to the riverbanks overflowing.
—Marina Watts, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Lily Kepner, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
By Saturday night, the merch line had shifted to start in an overflow room across the hall from where the actual line was supposed to start.
—Arika Herron, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overflow 
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Verb
With hundreds of breweries and dozens of distilleries, Colorado’s craft beverage scene is overflowing with options.
—Tiney Ricciardi, The Denver Post, 19 Nov. 2024
The stormwaters overflowed the Magro and Turia river basins and the Poyo riverbed, the AP reports, leading to the riverbanks overflowing.
—Marina Watts, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
Lacey Reynolds, a junior at UT and president of the Onyx Honor Society — UT's first and only Black honors society — said Tuesday's event had more than 500 people in attendance with four full overflow rooms.
—Lily Kepner, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
By Saturday night, the merch line had shifted to start in an overflow room across the hall from where the actual line was supposed to start.
—Arika Herron, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overflow
Dictionary Entries Near overflow
Cite this Entry
“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overflow. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overflow
1 of 2 verb
over·flow
ˌō-vər-ˈflō
1
: to cover with or as if with water : inundate
2
: to flow over the brim or top of
the river overflowed its banks
3
: to flow over bounds
the creek overflows every spring
4
: to fill a space up and spread beyond its limits
the paragraph overflowed the page
overflow
2 of 2 noun
over·flow
ˈō-vər-ˌflō
Medical Definition
overflow
noun
over·flow
ˈō-vər-ˌflō
: an excessive flow or amount
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