Synonyms

engulf

American

[en-guhlf] / ɛnˈgʌlf /

Also ingulf

verb (used with object)

to swallow up in or as in a gulf; submerge.

The overflowing river has engulfed many small towns along its banks.

Synonyms:

swamp, deluge, inundate, bury, envelop
to plunge or immerse, as into a gulf.

He engulfed himself in his studies.

engulf British

/ ɪnˈɡʌlf /

verb

to immerse, plunge, bury, or swallow up
(often passive) to overwhelm

engulfed by debts

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

engulfment noun

Etymology

Origin of engulf

First recorded in 1545–55; en- ¹ + gulf

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.

Notably, that powerful run itself began with a bullish hammer followed by a bullish engulfing candle, underscoring how influential monthly candlesticks have been in marking major inflection points.

From Barron's

The daily chart shows gold futures forming two bearish engulfing candles since last week’s high, the senior market analyst notes.

From The Wall Street Journal

Last week opened with back-to-back spinning top candles, indicative of near term fatigue, followed by a bearish engulfing candle on Thursday that reinforces the possibility of a reversal.

From Barron's

As she recounts the shock that engulfed her, her voice grows quieter but never falters.

From BBC

As of midday Thursday, the fund is forming a bearish engulfing candle, though the magnitude of the reversal warrants attention.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023