Word
engulf
Phoneticsen·gulf, stress on the second syllable
US/ɪnˈɡəɫf/
UK/ɛnɡˈʌlf/
Definition
v. to cover or surround something completely, like fire, water, or smoke does. You use it when something much bigger swallows something up.
v. to surround and cover something completely, often suddenly or with great force. Typically describes fire, floodwater, smoke, darkness, or a powerful feeling taking over.
Examples
“Flames quickly engulf the dry wooden house.”
“After the heavy rain, floodwater began to engulf the low fields around the village.”
“Within minutes, the wildfire began to engulf the hillside, sending thick smoke over the valley while residents watched the familiar landscape disappear behind flames.”
Examples
simple
“Flames quickly engulf the dry wooden house.”
contextual
“After the heavy rain, floodwater began to engulf the low fields around the village.”
complex
“Within minutes, the wildfire began to engulf the hillside, sending thick smoke over the valley while residents watched the familiar landscape disappear behind flames.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “engulf” in context.
Verb
01. engulf building
“Flames engulfed the building before firefighters arrived.”
verb + noun
02. engulf coastline
“The storm surge engulfed the entire coastline by dawn.”
verb + noun
03. engulf forest
“The wildfire engulfed thousands of acres of forest.”
verb + noun
04. engulf village
“Lava from the volcano engulfed the nearby village overnight.”
verb + noun
Adjective
05. completely engulf
“The fire completely engulfed the old factory in under an hour.”
adv + verb
Noun
06. engulf in darkness
“After the blackout, the whole street was engulfed in darkness.”
verb + prep + noun
07. engulf in flames
“The warehouse was engulfed in flames within minutes.”
verb + prep + noun
08. engulf in smoke
“The valley was engulfed in thick smoke from the fires.”
verb + prep + noun
09. be engulfed by fear
“The crowd was engulfed by fear after the explosion.”
10. be engulfed in chaos
“The capital was engulfed in chaos following the coup.”
11. be engulfed in flames
“The historic hotel was engulfed in flames by midnight.”
12. be fully engulfed in smoke
“The hillside cottage was fully engulfed in smoke.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.
Real-World Examples
“A drone caused the fire that engulfed two gas vessels at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta, the Egyptian cabinet said on Thursday, confirming for the first time that the blaze which erupted a day earlier was the result of an attack rather than an accident.” “The deluge also engulfed dozens of men, women and children who were overtaken as they tried to run.” “As Middle East tensions rise ever higher, tens of thousands of people are finding themselves stranded across the Gulf with few options for leaving a region suddenly engulfed by war.” Etymology
From en- + gulf.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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