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
An overflow of raw shell eggs were in an insufficient amount of ice in an ice bath. — Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026 The combined sewage-overflow tanks that are supposed to divert sewage from running into the canal won’t be complete until 2029 — a seven-year delay that might require parts of the canal to be re-dredged again to remove the contamination. — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
Goaltenders Spencer Knight and Arvid Söderblom have tried their best to seal the leaks, but the dam has overflowed early on. — Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026 In western North Carolina, rivers overflowed as heavy rainfall raised the risk of flash and urban flooding, according to the National Weather Service. — Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overflow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overflow
Noun
  • Rainfall may total 12 to 20 inches, causing inland flood concerns, as well.
    — Aoife Walsh, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Areas at highest risk of coastal flooding this week are Orange and San Diego counties, where the National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning that will last through Thursday afternoon.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The mayor also plans to declare a $520 million surplus in tax increment finance revenue.
    — Chris Tye, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The Treasury also reported Friday that September's monthly deficit came in at $27 billion, a reversal from the prior year, when the department saw a surplus of $198 billion in the month.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The hearing is expected to take several hours and could spill into a second day.
    — Kara Scannell, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Those pressures can spill over into health and well-being, county public health officials said.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • On Saturday alone, at least 2,400 people were arrested after rioters in cities across France clashed with police, set cars on fire, stormed public buildings, looted stores and engulfed a historic city hall in flames.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • This is against the backdrop of the French government imposing a curfew and many businesses and some famous tourist attractions shutting down amid the wave of violence that engulfed sections of Paris and other cites around the country.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • When that bubble burst in the Panic of 1893, a third of railroads went bust, more than 500 banks failed, and the economy plunged into a four-year depression.
    — Ming Lu, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • When a bank of televisions showed horses bursting through the starting gate, feet stomped on the club’s carpet.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • And various gamma-ray observatories in orbit were saturated and blinded by the torrent of incoming radiation.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Following testimony from Meta staff who downloaded torrents, the order could expose a wider range of supervisors, managers, and executives whom staffers said greenlit the piracy.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The proportions remain practical, and the overall design avoids some of the visual excesses found elsewhere in the segment.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The hotel interprets this mantra through balanced proportions, restrained interiors, and a hospitality approach that favors comfort over excess.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Raw shell eggs were overfilled in an insert tray and measured 55 degrees.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • On the other hand, overfilling the drum can strain the motor and reduce cleaning efficiency.
    — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overflow. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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