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
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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
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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
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2
as in to engulf
to cover with a flood
the swollen river overflowed the surrounding land and washed several houses away
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Examples of overflow in a Sentence
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Recent Examples on the Web
Dorothy Wickenden, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
Before hitting the main stage, Obama visited an overflow area with people who were denied entry.
—Alexandria Sands, Axios, 26 Oct. 2024
Clara McMahon, People.com, 8 Oct. 2024
Today, my closet is still overflowing with jeans—from baggy to skinny to flared.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overflow 
Noun
In heavy rains, septic tanks overflow, flooding the streets and spreading disease.
—Dorothy Wickenden, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
Before hitting the main stage, Obama visited an overflow area with people who were denied entry.
—Alexandria Sands, Axios, 26 Oct. 2024
Verb
Amazon’s sale section is overflowing with major markdowns, but only Amazon Prime members can save on Apple AirPods, Yankee Candles, Dyson vacuums, and other popular favorites.
—Clara McMahon, People.com, 8 Oct. 2024
Today, my closet is still overflowing with jeans—from baggy to skinny to flared.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overflow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflow
Noun
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Questions about the state’s rehab capacity also remain, if Proposition 36 works as intended and adds a flood of people into the treatment pipeline.Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
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Meanwhile, state and local agencies fail to act despite floods of protests.Will Tizard, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Plains All American Pipeline has a working capital surplus of $33 million and approximately $3.3 billion of liquidity available as of September 30, 2024.Quartz Bot, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
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Newsom, first elected in 2018, temporarily increased the incentive by $90 million when the state enjoyed a large pandemic-era surplus in 2021.Gene Maddaus, Variety, 27 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Its powerful suction and all-in-one cleaning system handle both vacuuming and mopping, effectively tackling dust, dirt, and spills on all floor types.Juhi Wadia, PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024
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Trump, who spent Monday rallying in Raleigh, North Carolina, and both Reading and Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, before getting to Grand Rapids, was told by the crowd that his rally had spilled over into the early hours of Election Day.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The scandal engulfed the prime minister Monday and sent shock waves across the country.Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024
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The girls had minutes to flee before the Morrison Ranch barn was fully engulfed in flames.Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Ever since Greta Thunberg burst onto the scene in 2018, climate protest has been seen as a primarily youthful pursuit.Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024
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The 6-foot-5, 265-pound rookie from UCLA burst off the line of scrimmage and barreled around Bears tight end Cole Kmet.Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Near ubiquitous, however, is consternation about the election process as a whole, with Pennsylvania being Ground Zero for an unyielding torrent of partisan propaganda.David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
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Advertisement Judging from the torrent of polling divinations, spirited debate and reportage dedicated to the potential ballot choices of our sons, brothers, husbands and uncles, women’s voting trends must be stagnant or just simpler, right?Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Just an overdue recalibration of what constitutes luxury versus excess; omakase counters are thriving, after all.Caroline Hatchett, Robb Report, 3 Nov. 2024
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The ’80s excess is on point, from maximalist cocktail attire to the mile-high-club encounter in the Concorde bathroom that opens the series.Judy Berman, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
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This then causes an unnatural-looking or overfilled appearance, such as pillow face.Audrey Noble, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2024
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Advertisement Except, perhaps, of overfilling your pantry.Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflow. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.
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