# deluge

/ˈdɛɫjudʒ/ (US) · /dˈɛljuːdʒ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/deluge
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a very heavy rain or a sudden flood. It can also mean a huge amount of things that arrive all at once, like emails or questions.

For teachers: a severe flood or a heavy downpour of rain; metaphorically, an overwhelming amount or number of something. Often used with 'of' to describe a sudden influx of information or requests.

## Examples

- The office received a deluge of complaints after the power cut.
- The sudden deluge turned the quiet village streets into rushing rivers within minutes.
- Following the announcement of the new policy, the customer service department struggled to manage the deluge of inquiries that flooded their phone lines and email inboxes.

## Usage notes

- Often appears in the singular form when used metaphorically ('a deluge of').

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.