over·flow
ˌō-vər-ˈflō 
overflowed; overflowing; overflows
1
: to cover with or as if with water : inundate
2
: to flow over the brim of
3
: to cause to overflow
1
: to flow over bounds
2
: to fill a space to capacity and spread beyond its limits
the crowd overflowed into the street
over·flow
ˈō-vər-ˌflō
1
: a flowing over : inundation
2
: something that flows over : surplus
3
: an outlet or receptacle for surplus liquid
Synonyms
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
Maggie Horton, Peoplemag, 5 Sep. 2024
And standing water can also snarl commutes, block emergency vehicles and cause secondary flooding if sewers back up into buildings or overflow into natural bodies of water.
—Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 3 Sep. 2024
Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2024
Fans packed into overflow spaces, waving homemade signs made of glitter and glue as drumlines roared.
—Charlotte Alter/philadelphia, TIME, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overflow 
Verb
Plus Le Creuset’s sale section is overflowing with even more favorites for up to 40 percent off.
—Maggie Horton, Peoplemag, 5 Sep. 2024
And standing water can also snarl commutes, block emergency vehicles and cause secondary flooding if sewers back up into buildings or overflow into natural bodies of water.
—Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 3 Sep. 2024
Noun
Here are a few observations: There are so many lawyers
In a courtroom that could easily seat 150 people, the hearing has required an overflow room two flights below the 14th-floor venue.
—Alexander Coolidge, The Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2024
Fans packed into overflow spaces, waving homemade signs made of glitter and glue as drumlines roared.
—Charlotte Alter/philadelphia, TIME, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overflow
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.
Dictionary Entries Near overflow
Cite this Entry
“Overflow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overflow. Accessed 11 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overflow
1 of 2 verb
over·flow
ˌō-vər-ˈflō
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
Medical Definition
overflow
noun
over·flow
ˈō-vər-ˌflō
: an excessive flow or amount
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