ENGULF Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

engulf

verb

in-ˈgəlf

Definition of engulf

as in to flood

to cover with a flood high waves from the hurricane engulfed large areas of the coastal community

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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.

Recent Examples of engulf In Pereira, the municipality which has recorded the highest number of fatalities, social media footage showed the moment a building collapsed and engulfed onlookers with dust and debris in the city’s Bolivar Plaza. — Michael Rios, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 Ellesse Falcon, 35, left her 12 dogs inside her apartment and headed to a nearby grocery store Wednesday afternoon, only to return about half an hour later to find her building engulfed in flames. — Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026 Per the state police, the crash involved two passenger vehicles, one of which was fully engulfed in fire. — Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026 When his business is violently robbed, and one of his own is killed, Rodney embarks on a reckless quest for revenge that threatens to engulf the entire Clarke family. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for engulf

Recent Examples of Synonyms for engulf

Verb

Since the first attack July 18 in Elektrostal, just east of Moscow, and in the southwestern Tambov region, Wildberries depots burned one after another in massive fires that flooded social media.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Following the news of Panettiere’s death at age 36 on Sunday, fans have flooded TikTok to pay tribute to the actress and her many beloved roles throughout her career.

— Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of flood

Verb

But this year, the number and scale of foodborne illness outbreaks are overwhelming the system and disrupting the ability to respond.

— Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Despite this multi-layered surveillance system, Tuesday’s massive influx overwhelmed the filtration hardware, forcing operators to bring the reactors offline once again to safeguard the facilities.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of overwhelm

Verb

Drone footage shared by the city showed houses, vehicles and roads submerged in muddy floodwater.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Satellite images also have shown that the tanker is increasingly submerged, and experts have warned of an unprecedented environmental disaster if the vessel sinks or breaks open and leaks its entire cargo.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of submerge

Browse Nearby Words

engrossment

engulf

engulfed

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“Engulf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/engulf. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of engulf

verb

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