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

But the floodgates really opened last year when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at 31 years old. —Simar Bajaj, NBC News, 29 Nov. 2024

Due to the open floodgates, flows are faster and water levels are higher than usual downstream of the dams. —Rachel Royster, Austin American-Statesman, 24 July 2024

Some parishes, including St. Mary and Terrebonne, started to close off floodgates and distribute sand bags Monday. —Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 10 Sep. 2024

But the floodgates opened this year, when the league office increased the number of foreign players allowed on each team’s 30-player roster from seven to 20. —Rustin Dodd, The Athletic, 26 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English flodgate

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

floodgate

noun

flood·​gate ˈfləd-ˌgāt 

: a gate (as in a canal) for controlling a body of water : sluice

Legal Definition

floodgate

noun

flood·​gate

: something serving to restrain an outburst (as of litigation)

—usually used in pl.

a decision that will open the floodgates for other claims