engulf
verb (used with object)
to swallow up in or as in a gulf; submerge.
had engulfed
-
past perfectof engulf.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
I saw a utility van and crawled underneath, but by then the cloud had engulfed everything.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
The sailors anxiously watched as tugboats battled the blaze that had engulfed storage tanks.
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
What if his legendary October demons had engulfed him one last time?
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 27, 2025
It was the denouement to a whirlwind that had engulfed — or at least amused — the communities of Kingussie and Kincraig in the Scottish highlands, where about 1,500 humans live.
From New York Times ● Feb. 1, 2024
At the mention of dying, a surge of feeling had engulfed him, pushing him beyond anger into an extremity of bewilderment and disgust.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
