Definition of overflownext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in to burst
to be copiously supplied a magazine that usually overflows with home-repair tips for the do-it-yourselfer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 overflow
Noun
In Citrus County, where a small town was slated to play host to Florida’s first hyperscale data center, opponents of the project packed the commission and exceeded its overflow room, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Alexandra Phelps, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026 The mansion itself was originally constructed in 1640 to accommodate the overflow of guests to their hunting parties; the porticos on the eastern and westerly wings were once stable doors. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 July 2026
Verb
Medasin, whose thesis was already overflowing with preemptive volleys and counterfactuals, batted away the refutation. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026 Sports bars and restaurants overflowed with customers who drank beer taps dry. Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overflow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflow
Noun
  • The loss of virtual companions has provoked a flood of complaints, according to posts and screenshots shown on social media.
    ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Campaigners have called on policymakers to impose higher taxes on energy majors to help fund climate-resilient infrastructure, such as fire and flood defenses.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Learn how to measure flour the Test Kitchen way, and remember that dipping the measuring cup in the flour and scooping it out generally results in a 25-gram surplus of flour.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Carnegie urged the rich to live modestly and to direct the surplus toward universities, libraries, medical institutions and public parks.
    Gautam Mukunda, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Earlier this year, news outlets reported that a truck carrying paraquat spilled around 60 gallons of the herbicide in Dorris in Siskiyou County, which borders Oregon.
    Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The Emmy-winning actor has come forward as the individual Rhea Seehorn alluded to, but did not name, in a June Instagram post that revealed someone spilled wine on her at the Gotham TV Awards.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026
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
Verb
  • The flames that burst from each copper pipe aren’t responsible for generating the organ’s tones.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The Saturday morning calm at Catalina Island Health’s two-bed emergency room was broken just before noon, when two tourists with arm injuries burst in within minutes of one another.
    Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • On the campaign trail, Mamdani received a torrent of criticism over his past calls for defunding the NYPD and pledges to transform the city’s public safety apparatus.
    Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The torrent’s force moved boulders more than 20 feet in diameter and weighing more than 275 tons, equivalent to the heft of more than 150 Subaru Outbacks.
    Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 27 July 2026
Noun
  • The spectacle, scale and wonderfully unapologetic excess are precisely why millions keep returning.
    Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Is there still unfinished business in rationalizing the excesses of the semiconductor surge, which formed the core of the momentum-stock frenzy?
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • On the other hand, overfilling the drum can strain the motor and reduce cleaning efficiency.
    Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2026
  • Doctors overfill their schedules and often put in double shifts at the hospital.
    AllBusiness, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflow. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on overflow

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster