overflow

[ verb oh-ver-floh; noun oh-ver-floh ]

/ verb ˌoʊ vərˈfloʊ; noun ˈoʊ vərˌfloʊ /

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See synonyms for: overflow / overflowing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), o·ver·flowed, o·ver·flown, o·ver·flow·ing.

to flow or run over, as rivers or water: After the thaw, the river overflows and causes great damage.

to have the contents flowing over or spilling, as an overfull container: Stop pouring or your glass is going to overflow.

to pass from one place or part to another as if flowing from an overfull space: The population overflowed into the adjoining territory.

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), o·ver·flowed, o·ver·flown, o·ver·flow·ing.

to flow over; flood; inundate: The river overflowed several farms.

to flow over or beyond (the brim, banks, borders, etc.).

to cause to overflow.

to flow over the edge or brim of (a receptacle, container, etc.).

to fill to the point of running over.

noun

an overflowing: the annual overflow of the Nile.

something that flows or runs over: to carry off the overflow from a fountain.

a portion crowded out of an overfilled place: to house the overflow of the museum's collection in another building.

an excess or superabundance: an overflow of applicants for the job.

an outlet or receptacle for excess liquid: The tank is equipped with an overflow.

OTHER WORDS FOR overflow

13 overabundance, surplus, plethora, flood, glut.

See synonyms for overflow on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of overflow

before 900; Middle English overflowen,Old English oferflōwan.See over-, flow

OTHER WORDS FROM overflow

o·ver·flow·a·ble, adjectiveo·ver·flow·ing·ly, adverbun·o·ver·flow·ing, adjective

How to use overflow in a sentence

As the Good Time room hit capacity at around 5,000 listeners and overflow rooms quickly filled as well, some people resorted to live-streaming the talk from the Clubhouse app on their phones via more robust platforms like YouTube.
Elon Musk is never boring|Aaron Pressman|February 1, 2021|Fortune
There are some people that use the recycle bin as trash overflow.
Jim Fish, CEO of Waste Management, on How the Pandemic Changed Garbage|Eben Shapiro|November 15, 2020|Time
He said the state has 6,000 beds available — including an overflow field hospital at the Baltimore Convention Center — to deal with any surge in hospitalizations.
D.C. eases travel restrictions ahead of Thanksgiving while urging caution during holidays|Julie Zauzmer, Ovetta Wiggins, Dana Hedgpeth|November 5, 2020|Washington Post
However, I believe that our society is overflowing with lethal weapons and that we must take action to prevent more dead kids.
A Navy Vet’s Case for Gun Control|Shawn VanDiver|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Soon his coffers were overflowing with revenue from rubber, palm oil, and ivory.
‘Argo’ in the Congo: The Ghosts of the Stanleyville Hostage Crisis|Nina Strochlic|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Brash, crass, and overflowing with wiseass attitude, he remains the ultimate postmodern superhero.
The King of Postmodern Cool Is Reborn in ‘Ash Vs. The Evil Dead’|Nick Schager|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It would appear that when it came to the bottom line, Washington was not overflowing with sympathy.
Washington’s Wheeler-Dealer Patriotism|William O’Connor|October 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even though there is a threadbare concession stand, overflowing picnic baskets abound.
Native American Basketball Team in Wyoming Have Hoop Dreams Of Their Own|Robert Silverman|August 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As they went cutting sidewise through the water, the sails bellied taut, with the wind filling and overflowing them.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
In that part, it was little better than a morass, from the occasional overflowing of the waters at the rainy seasons.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
And shall pass through Juda, overflowing, and going over shall reach even to the neck.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
The night had been very wet, for large pools of water had collected in the road and the kennels were overflowing.
Oliver Twist, Vol. II (of 3)|Charles Dickens
Overflowing with blissful excitement, I rushed into the house to tell mother the joyful news.
Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist|Alexander Berkman

British Dictionary definitions for overflow

overflow

verb (ˌəʊvəˈfləʊ) -flows or -flowing or -flowed or formerly -flown

to flow or run over (a limit, brim, bank, etc)

to fill or be filled beyond capacity so as to spill or run over

(intr usually foll by with) to be filled with happiness, tears, etc

(tr) to spread or cover over; flood or inundate

noun (ˈəʊvəˌfləʊ)

overflowing matter, esp liquid

any outlet that enables surplus liquid to be discharged or drained off, esp one just below the top of a tank or cistern

the amount by which a limit, capacity, etc, is exceeded

computing a condition that occurs when numeric operations produce results too large to store in the memory space assigned to it

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

overflow

OTHER WORDS FOR overflow

Origin of overflow

OTHER WORDS FROM overflow

Words related to overflow

How to use overflow in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for overflow