overflow
Americanverb (used without object)
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to flow or run over, as rivers or water.
After the thaw, the river overflows and causes great damage.
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to have the contents flowing over or spilling, as an overfull container.
Stop pouring or your glass is going to overflow.
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to pass from one place or part to another as if flowing from an overfull space.
The population overflowed into the adjoining territory.
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to be filled or supplied with in great measure.
a heart overflowing with gratitude; a region overflowing with orchards and vineyards.
verb (used with object)
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to flow over; flood; inundate.
The river overflowed several farms.
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to flow over or beyond (the brim, banks, borders, etc.).
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to cause to overflow.
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to flow over the edge or brim of (a receptacle, container, etc.).
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to fill to the point of running over.
noun
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an overflowing.
the annual overflow of the Nile.
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something that flows or runs over.
to carry off the overflow from a fountain.
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a portion crowded out of an overfilled place.
to house the overflow of the museum's collection in another building.
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an excess or superabundance.
an overflow of applicants for the job.
- Synonyms:
- glut, flood, plethora, surplus, overabundance
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an outlet or receptacle for excess liquid.
The tank is equipped with an overflow.
verb
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to flow or run over (a limit, brim, bank, etc)
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to fill or be filled beyond capacity so as to spill or run over
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to be filled with happiness, tears, etc
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(tr) to spread or cover over; flood or inundate
noun
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overflowing matter, esp liquid
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any outlet that enables surplus liquid to be discharged or drained off, esp one just below the top of a tank or cistern
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the amount by which a limit, capacity, etc, is exceeded
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computing a condition that occurs when numeric operations produce results too large to store in the memory space assigned to it
Other Word Forms
- overflowable adjective
- overflowingly adverb
- unoverflowing adjective
Etymology
Origin of overflow
before 900; Middle English overflowen, Old English oferflōwan. See over-, flow
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Nationally, between 23,000 and 75,000 overflows release 3 billion to 10 billion gallons of sewage a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
I opted for the classics: onion soup, retro vol-au-vent overflowing with mushrooms and, for dessert, an île flottante heady with vanilla and caramel.
"It was cramped, there were about seven toilets for that number of people. They tried to fix the showers but they broke again and the drains were always overflowing," she said.
From BBC
The main flaw in the plan—the ends of the bolt stuck out—was audaciously overcome by putting the Bible under a very large, overflowing dish of macaroni with butter and cheese.
I guess this place is kinda cute if you ignore the weed-infested garden, the overflowing trash bin at the curb, and the giant crack on the front door.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
