1
as in flood
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 surplus
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 to flood
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 to engulf
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 overflow
David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2025
This case began when a city in Oregon did not have adequate homeless shelters, leading to an overflow of homeless people on the streets.
—Leah Goodridge, TIME, 27 Jan. 2025
Amanda Ogle, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2025
The song is a tender ode to a loved one in her life, presumably a lover like her partner Don Toliver, though her love has also been overflowing for her baby son over the past year.
—Chris Malone Mendez, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overflow
Noun
In the bakery’s backroom, Odio saw a sewage overflow or leak under the grease trap next to the three-compartment sink.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2025
This case began when a city in Oregon did not have adequate homeless shelters, leading to an overflow of homeless people on the streets.
—Leah Goodridge, TIME, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
During this time of year, the area overflows with purples, golds, and greens, and there are always plenty of family-friendly parades on the schedule and lots of king cake to go around.
—Amanda Ogle, Travel + Leisure, 3 Apr. 2025
The song is a tender ode to a loved one in her life, presumably a lover like her partner Don Toliver, though her love has also been overflowing for her baby son over the past year.
—Chris Malone Mendez, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overflow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflow
Noun
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Brown saw 3 feet of water flood her home in a predominantly Black neighborhood that still shows damage from the storm.—
Jesse Coburn,
ProPublica,
25 Mar. 2025
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Best Option Restoration is a nationally franchised disaster restoration business that handles wind and storm damage, fire damage, flood/water damage, and contents cleanout to residential and commercial customers.—
Ethan Stone,
USA TODAY,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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That, and the surplus of mentors who played for Dad before him.—
Sam Cohn,
Baltimore Sun,
24 Mar. 2025
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During the Legislature’s budget session in 2023, Minnesota was working with an $18 billion surplus and approved a budget of $72 billion, a jump from the previous $52 billion budget.—
Mary Murphy,
Twin Cities,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The cups: The cups should fully contain your breasts without any gaping or spilling over.—
Bianca London,
Glamour,
28 Mar. 2025
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Sitting inside Made in New York Pizza in Manhattan earlier this year, sporting a Haas top, Bearman spilled the details about his thrilling offseason project: putting together furniture for his Monaco apartment.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The ad featured the artist in his studio, struggling with a piece of artwork, when suddenly, the entire room is engulfed in white paint, covering both his paintings and him.—
Mecca Pryor,
Essence,
7 Apr. 2025
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In the first, the sheepdog appears engulfed by a thick coat of long white fur, his face nearly obscured by the shaggy mass.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Since bursting onto the scene as a freshman, Janiah has carried a heavy load for Seminole Ridge, showcasing not only her scoring ability but also her all-around impact on the game.—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Mar. 2025
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Today’s styles run the gamut from nostalgic hearts and classic knots to bursting stars and beachy swirls.—
Abby Morgan Lebet,
Glamour,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Then a torrent of leads arrived, via the Knot’s online vender portal.—
Adam Iscoe,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
-
More than 180,000 residents were evacuated from Butte, Sutter and Yuba counties in February 2017 when concerns mounted that the dam’s spillway would fail, sending a torrent of water downstream.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacramento Bee,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Though the film itself received mixed reviews, Kilmer’s committed performance as the self-destructive rocker who epitomized the psychedelic excesses of the 1960s was widely praised.—
Lindsey Bahr,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2025
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Drizzle a bit of oil into the skillet and wipe out the excess so only a thin sheen remains.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Fast Food and Wine While the father eventually acknowledged being in the wrong group, the family continued to cause frustration by overfilling overhead compartments with various items, including backpacks, bags of fast food and even a bottle of wine.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
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Toilet paper goes right into the film baggy – just don't overfill!—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflow. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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