flood 1 of 2

noun

ˈfləd How to pronounce flood (audio)
Definition of floodnext
as in torrent
a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms a flood nearly wiped out the town a flood of messages on my computer

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

flood

2 of 2

verb

as in to engulf
to cover with a flood the lowlands were completely flooded angry calls flooded the radio station

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 flood
Noun
But flood waters have now started to recede and the city has reopened some of the flood gates, according to the Indianapolis Department of Public Works. — Chandelis Duster, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026 Many residents are still dealing with the aftermath of devastating floods in March and were taking precautions. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Verb
The Cherry Creek School District closed at least two schools in Aurora on Monday after severe weekend storms flooded the buildings. — Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2026 The Russian bombs hit a pipe and the area was flooded in knee-deep water. — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flood
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flood
  1. torrent
  2. engulf
  3. overwhelm
  4. drown
  5. submerge
  6. deluge
Noun
  • Social media companies faced a torrent of lawsuits alleging that their design can cause addictive behavior and harm users' mental health.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Authorities warned of a high risk of geological disasters in parts of Zhejiang, while residents in areas covered by a red mountain-torrent warning were told to ‌follow local evacuation orders.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of torrent
Verb
  • Its cells would then engulf the food particle and break it down into its constituent molecules.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Aerial images of the site showed a massive debris field around the remains of a house that was engulfed in flames.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of engulf
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
  • At least 115 people were crushed to death or drowned in the river below.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the whirlpools of history spin, and ordinary people, good and bad alike, drown in them.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of drown
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
Verb
  • Social media, and frankly, corporate news media are designed to deluge us with bad news.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Disaster can strike in regions unaccustomed to their fury, as North Carolinians in the western end of the state painfully learned in 2024 as Hurricane Helene deluged the region.
    — Jamie Gold, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of deluge

Phrases Containing flood

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flogs
flood
flooded
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Cite this Entry

“Flood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flood. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flood

Nglish: Translation of flood for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flood

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