inundate

verb

in·​un·​date ˈi-(ˌ)nən-ˌdāt How to pronounce inundate (audio)
inundated; inundating

transitive verb

1
: overwhelm
was inundated with phone calls
2
: to cover with a flood : overflow
inundation noun
inundator noun
inundatory adjective

Did you know?

In the summer of 1993, record rains in the Midwest caused the Mississippi River to overflow its banks, break through levees, and inundate the entire countryside; such an inundation hadn't been seen for at least a hundred years. By contrast, the Nile River inundated its entire valley every year, bringing the rich black silt that made the valley one of the most fertile places on earth. (The inundations ceased with the completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1970.) Whenever a critical issue is being debated, the White House and Congressional offices are inundated with phone calls and emails, just as a town may be inundated with complaints when it starts charging a fee for garbage pickup.

Examples of inundate in a Sentence

Rising rivers could inundate low-lying areas. water from the overflowing bathtub inundated the bathroom floor
Recent Examples on the Web Kate, William and the rest of the monarchy have been inundated with questions about secrecy and a lack of transparency, even from pro-monarchy U.K. news sites like The Telegraph and the Daily Mail. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2024 The initial weather catastrophe occurred during the Labor Day Flood of 1970, when 11 inches of rain inundated the city within a single day, resulting in 23 deaths. Kira Caspers, The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024 Samsung is positioning the Galaxy Ring as a device for people who want the benefits of a smartwatch without feeling inundated with data. Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 26 Feb. 2024 Many areas are still recovering from the four-day early February atmospheric river that inundated much of the state and dropped up to 14 inches of rain on L.A. alone. Harriet Ryan, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024 They were intended to prevent hospitals from being inundated with patients. Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2024 But in online spaces inundated with a near-constant stream of posts and comments, rules are sometimes more like suggestions. Marisa Iati, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2024 Last year, high rivers inundated the area up to 4 miles wide at Dos Rios Ranch. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024 Explicit images of Taylor Swift inundated social platform X, formerly known as Twitter, while fake robocalls of Biden’s voice were sent to voters ahead of the New Hampshire primary, urging them not to vote. TIME, 5 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inundate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin inundatus, past participle of inundare, from in- + unda wave — more at water

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of inundate was in 1590

Dictionary Entries Near inundate

Cite this Entry

“Inundate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inundate. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

inundate

verb
in·​un·​date ˈin-(ˌ)ən-ˌdāt How to pronounce inundate (audio)
inundated; inundating
1
: to cover with a flood : deluge entry 1
2
: overwhelm sense 2
inundated with e-mail
inundation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on inundate

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