inundated; inundating
Synonyms of inundate

transitive verb

1
: overwhelm
was inundated with phone calls
2
: to cover with a flood : overflow

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Further calamity struck in June 2023 when floodwaters inundated the city after the Kakhovka Dam collapsed from an explosion that an Associated Press investigation found was likely caused by the Russian military, killing hundreds of residents. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 Experts say electric vehicles are susceptible to starting a fire when their batteries are inundated with salt water. — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Flooding from powerful storms and days of heavy rainfall inundated communities in several states. — Dana R. Fisher, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 As the near-certainty of a record-breaking super El Niño has become clear, the scientists who predict and study it have been inundated by inquiries from the press and public. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inundate

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inundate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inundate. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

inundated; inundating
1
: to cover with a flood : deluge entry 1
2
: overwhelm sense 2
inundated with email
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