floodgate
noun
flood·gate
ˈfləd-ˌgāt 
1
: a gate for shutting out, admitting, or releasing a body of water : sluice
2
: something serving to restrain an outburst
opened the floodgates of criticism
Examples of floodgate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And as far as the crazy-complete 28-disc box devoted to Dylan and the Band’s 1974 tour, only a portion of which was heard on the original Before the Flood, well, open those floodgates.
—
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 10 Jan. 2025
So to shoot 60 felt like the floodgates kind of opened up for us.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
Foreign nationals are not allowed to donate to political candidates or super PACs — committees that are a product of the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. FEC case that opened up the floodgates for election spending.
—Gabe Kaminsky, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Dec. 2024
As these legendary works and characters step into the public domain, the floodgates open for new interpretations, adaptations, and reimaginings, giving creators a fresh canvas to work with and breathe new life into these cultural cornerstones.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for floodgate 
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David Browne, Rolling Stone, 10 Jan. 2025
So to shoot 60 felt like the floodgates kind of opened up for us.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 3 Jan. 2025
Foreign nationals are not allowed to donate to political candidates or super PACs — committees that are a product of the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. FEC case that opened up the floodgates for election spending.
—Gabe Kaminsky, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Dec. 2024
As these legendary works and characters step into the public domain, the floodgates open for new interpretations, adaptations, and reimaginings, giving creators a fresh canvas to work with and breathe new life into these cultural cornerstones.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for floodgate
Dictionary Entries Near floodgate
Cite this Entry
“Floodgate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floodgate. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
floodgate
noun
flood·gate
ˈfləd-ˌgāt
: a gate (as in a canal) for controlling a body of water : sluice
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