engulf
verb (used with object)
to swallow up in or as in a gulf; submerge.
have engulfed
-
present perfectof engulf.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
The shoes have "engulfed" the volunteers in recent weeks but it has also been interesting to discover more about where they came from, Emma said.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2026
But his company, Nastec, had been the only one out there during the fires that have engulfed the area.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2025
Instead, a punishing drought has kept the rains at bay, creating dry conditions for fires that have engulfed hundreds of square miles of the rainforest that do not usually burn.
From New York Times ● Mar. 9, 2024
Bill Miller, a veteran Austin lobbyist, said the accusations that have engulfed Paxton for years “color the perception of him” but don’t resemble the man he’s long called a friend.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 30, 2023
And I laughed, too; for with what an unbuttoned exuberance must I have engulfed him!
From In the Mountains by Elizabeth von Arnim
