inundation

American  

[in-uhn-dey-shuhn, -uhn-] / ˌɪn ənˈdeɪ ʃən, -ʌn- /

noun

1. the condition of being flooded.

   Researchers are warning that accelerated sea level change threatens hundreds of thousands of coastal homes with inundation.

2. a flood.

   Areas shaded in purple on the map may see an inundation of 3 to 12 feet.

3. the condition or state of being overwhelmed.

   Angkor Wat, the magnificent temple of the Khmer Empire, faces inundation by tourists and environmental dangers.

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Other Word Forms

• superinundation noun

Etymology

Origin of inundation

First recorded in 1400–50; from Latin inundātiōn-, stem of inundātiō “a flooding,” from inundāre “to flood, overflow”; inundate ( def. ), -ion ( def. )

Explanation

An overabundance of something is an inundation. If you got an inundation of requests for your famous chocolate cupcakes, you better get baking! If you advertised a free piano in the local newspaper, you might get an inundation of emails in response, and your picnic on the grass could be ruined by an inundation of ants. Inundation can also refer specifically to a flood of water, like when a riverbank is at risk of inundation after several days of heavy rain. This makes sense as the root word in Latin is inundationem, "an overflowing."

Example Sentences

Authorities have urged residents of flood prone areas in the country's north-western plains to leave immediately with rising threats of inundation from heavy rain, swollen rivers and the release of more water from full dams.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

Three days after the inundation, one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts in recent Texas history was shifting towards a recovery operation.

From BBC • Jul. 6, 2025

Lone-wolf book banners also use inundation, most notably Florida man Bruce Friedman, who has bragged about challenging at least one book a day since moving from New York in 2020.

From Salon • Jun. 26, 2025

“It’s important to know where you live, if you’re in the inundation zone.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2025

But Mayor Wamura, remembering the 1933 tsunami and stories about the 1896 inundation, refused to budge.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland