engulfed; engulfing; engulfs
1
: to flow over and enclose : overwhelm
the mounting seas threatened to engulf the island
2
: to take in (food) by or as if by flowing over and enclosing
Examples of engulf in a Sentence
The valley was engulfed in a thick fog.
high waves from the hurricane engulfed large areas of the coastal community
Recent Examples on the Web
In the backdrop, the Chicago skyline is engulfed in flames as military helicopters swarm across a blood-orange sky.
—
Time, 10 Sep. 2025
When deputies arrived, the plane was engulfed in flames.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
Aamir Quereshi imaged the moon moments before it was engulfed in Earth's shadow over Pakistan, with a razor-thin crescent lit by bright sunlight.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Burmese pythons, which can engulf an entire Presidential golfing party simply by unhinging their (the pythons’) jaws, inhabit the environs of the Gulf of Mexico, and have even been seen swimming offshore.
—Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for engulf
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.
Time, 10 Sep. 2025
When deputies arrived, the plane was engulfed in flames.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
Aamir Quereshi imaged the moon moments before it was engulfed in Earth's shadow over Pakistan, with a razor-thin crescent lit by bright sunlight.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Burmese pythons, which can engulf an entire Presidential golfing party simply by unhinging their (the pythons’) jaws, inhabit the environs of the Gulf of Mexico, and have even been seen swimming offshore.
—Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for engulf
Cite this Entry
“Engulf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/engulf. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share