overflow

1 of 2

verb

over·​flow ˌō-vər-ˈflō How to pronounce overflow (audio)
overflowed; overflowing; overflows

transitive verb

1
: to cover with or as if with water : inundate
2
: to flow over the brim of
3
: to cause to overflow

intransitive verb

1
: to flow over bounds
2
: to fill a space to capacity and spread beyond its limits
the crowd overflowed into the street

overflow

2 of 2

noun

over·​flow ˈō-vər-ˌflō How to pronounce overflow (audio)
1
: a flowing over : inundation
2
: something that flows over : surplus
3
: an outlet or receptacle for surplus liquid

Examples of overflow in a Sentence

Verb The river overflowed its banks. The creek overflows every spring. The water in the tub overflowed. Books and papers overflowed his desk. The paragraph overflowed the page. Noun a great overflow of water from the heavy rains swept mud and silt down onto the highway an overflow of help actually made the job more complicated
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
That’s true in this Midwestern manufacturing town overflowing with well-paying jobs, rock-bottom unemployment and some of the lowest gas, food and housing prices in the nation. Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 Amazon’s sale section is overflowing with beautiful Easter dress options right now. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024 In a world inundated with choices and overflowing with information, brand recognition, and a unified, multi-channel messaging strategy are re-emerging as the linchpins of successful marketing. Dara A. Busch, Fortune, 11 Mar. 2024 Our pantry is overflowing with interesting choices. Ed Silverman, STAT, 29 Feb. 2024 When deciding where to go, locals are overflowing with advice. Cinnamon Janzer, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Feb. 2024 By making room for the rivers to overflow, the restoration project has created an outlet for high flows that helps to reduce the risk of dangerous flooding in low-lying communities nearby. Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024 Glossy mailers overflowed in mailboxes, and TV ads filled the airwaves touting candidates in the 16th district race over the last several months. Grace Hase, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2024 City residents have complained to the city for years about overflowing storm drains and flood channels that are packed with trash and vegetation, including full-grown trees. Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
Noun
This kind of sharing overflows into their one-on-one conversations with each other throughout the week. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 The tree removal is part of an effort to clean up sewage overflows from the Pleasant Run waterway that runs through the park. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 22 Feb. 2024 Curbside valet is $25 a day and overflow is $10 per day. Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 9 Feb. 2024 Meanwhile, an overflow shelter, meant to provide beds during the COVID-19 pandemic, ramped down. Nushrat Rahman, Detroit Free Press, 27 Jan. 2024 The drain is in the center of the tub and comes with a chrome pop-up drain cover and a chrome overflow. Megan Boettcher, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Jan. 2024 This is broadly similar to traditional SQL injection and buffer overflow attacks, the researchers say. Matt Burgess, WIRED, 1 Mar. 2024 Once the final vote was tallied and the results were shown on screens inside the room, the protesters — who numbered in the hundreds between the main chamber and overflow room — rallied in the building’s fourth-floor corridor. Joe Rubino, The Denver Post, 13 Feb. 2024 Fixing the vulnerability involves more than just excising the buffer overflow from the shim code. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overflow was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near overflow

Cite this Entry

“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overflow. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

overflow

1 of 2 verb
over·​flow ˌō-vər-ˈflō How to pronounce overflow (audio)
1
: to cover with or as if with water : inundate
2
: to flow over the brim or top of
the river overflowed its banks
3
: to flow over bounds
the creek overflows every spring
4
: to fill a space up and spread beyond its limits
the paragraph overflowed the page

overflow

2 of 2 noun
over·​flow ˈō-vər-ˌflō How to pronounce overflow (audio)
1
: a flowing over : flood
2
: something that flows over : surplus
3
: an outlet or container for liquid that overflows

Medical Definition

overflow

noun
over·​flow ˈō-vər-ˌflō How to pronounce overflow (audio)
: an excessive flow or amount

More from Merriam-Webster on overflow

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