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

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 flood
Noun
The state is pre-positioning more than 4 million sandbags, more than 50,000 feet of portable flood barriers and 400,000 tons of rock to repair levees. — Adrian Florido, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026 The story in question has been hit with a flood of accusations of being AI generated, which the author has so far denied. — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 11 Oct. 2026
Verb
Open storage and practical furniture make surprisingly efficient use of the footprint, while floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with California sunshine. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026 When patent protections for Ozempic and Wegovy expired in India earlier this year, generic manufacturers flooded the market at prices less than $14 a month. — Dr. Bowman Heiden, Fortune, 10 Oct. 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
  • Such terrain is already conducive to flash flooding, sudden torrents that can sweep down canyons and other low-lying areas with little warning.
    — Megan Janetsky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision unleashed unlimited torrents of money into political campaigns, elections are now largely financed by big money donors and super PACs.
    — Dr. Michael Good, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of torrent
Verb
  • An off-duty KCPD detective and a Clay County sheriff’s deputy immediately jumped into action last week after spotting a Ford F-150 pickup truck engulfed in flames along Interstate 35 — and the whole thing was caught on camera.
    — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026
  • And for much of the game Sunday, gloom once again engulfed McVay and a team that opened the season as a heavy Super Bowl favorite.
    — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of engulf
Verb
  • Bettany is by turns hilariously perplexed, in the universal manner of parents engaging with teens everywhere, and achingly tender, in the more unusual way of a robot letting himself be overwhelmed by feeling for the first time.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Clashes last week between armed groups from rival communities in the central part of South Sudan left scores of people dead and overwhelmed a hospital with wounded people, officials said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of overwhelm
Verb
  • Family members believe Jilani drowned after becoming trapped in powerful water currents.
    — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Threats also remain from strong rip currents and large waves, which increase the risk of ocean drowning and could threaten to capsize small boats near shore.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of drown
Verb
  • But the real fix is still months away, when the city finishes the longtime West Avenue drainage project that will redirect that water that submerged her garage into city pumps and pipes instead.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Police in Falmouth, Massachusetts, say criminal charges are expected against a Florida man after an SUV was found partially submerged at a beach during the nor'easter.
    — Neal Riley, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of submerge
Verb
  • Two of them — in 1982-83 and 1997-98 — deluged downtown Los Angeles with more than 30 inches of rain, more than double the area’s average annual rainfall.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Parts of the Desert Southwest could be deluged Wednesday as waves of robust monsoonal moisture lift into the region.
    — Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 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 14 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on flood

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flood

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