English Reference
Adjective

awash

adj.
C1 Advanced US /əˈwɑʃ/ UK /ɐwˈɒʃ/ awash

adj.covered or flooded with a lot of something, like water, money, or light. It describes a situation where there is so much of one thing that it is hard to move or see.

adj.covered or flooded with a substance or emotion; overwhelmed by a particular quality or quantity. Often used in the passive voice to describe a state of being surrounded by something.


SIMPLE

The city was awash in bright lights after the parade.

CONTEXTUAL

After the storm, the entire valley was awash in mud and debris, making the roads impassable for weeks.

COMPLEX

The gallery was awash in a sea of red and gold, as the artist's latest collection was unveiled to a crowd of critics and collectors.

By early evening, the stands were awash with green and white, tricolours draped over shoulders.

BBC News· 5 Sept 2026

Social media is awash with desperate pleas, photos and details of the young and old, men and women, from Mumbai to Kolkata, posted by families searching for traces of life.

The Guardian· 1 Sept 2026

From a- + wash.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated