# flood

/ˈfɫəd/ (US) · /flˈʌd/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. overflow of water

noun · CEFR B1

a large amount of water that covers an area of land that is usually dry.

For teachers: an overflow of water onto land that is normally dry, often resulting from heavy rain or a burst river bank.

- The heavy rains caused a flood that blocked the main road to the village.
- The local council implemented new drainage systems after the devastating flood of 2018 destroyed several historic properties along the riverfront.

### 2. a large quantity

noun · CEFR B2

a very large number of things that arrive at the same time.

For teachers: a large quantity of things appearing or arriving more rapidly than can be easily managed.

- The company received a flood of complaints after the website crashed.
- The charity was overwhelmed by a flood of donations following the televised appeal for the earthquake victims.

### 3. to cover with water

verb · CEFR B1

to fill or cover a place with a large amount of water.

For teachers: to cover or submerge a place with water; used both for natural events and domestic accidents.

- The bathroom floor flooded because the washing machine broke.
- Rising sea levels threaten to flood low-lying coastal communities more frequently over the coming decades.

### 4. to overwhelm with things

verb · CEFR B2

to send or give so much of something that it is hard to deal with.

For teachers: to provide or fill with a quantity of something that exceeds the capacity to process it.

- Fans flooded the singer's social media page with birthday messages.
- Cheap imports began to flood the market, making it difficult for local manufacturers to compete on price.

### 5. to disrupt a chat

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to send many messages very quickly to a chat or forum to annoy people.

For teachers: to disrupt a communication system by sending a high volume of data or repetitive messages in a short period.

- The moderator banned the user for flooding the chat with the same emoji.
- The server's automated security system detected an attempt to flood the comment section and temporarily disabled new posts.

Usage: Often used as an intransitive verb in gaming or chat contexts.

### 6. the rising tide

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the time when the ocean water moves toward the land.

For teachers: the incoming flow of the tide, occurring between low water and high water.

- The boat was carried into the harbour by the flood.
- Navigating the narrow channel is significantly easier during the flood, as the current assists the vessel's progress toward the docks.

## Examples

- The heavy rain caused a flood in the basement.
- The customer service department received a flood of complaints after the website crashed on Monday morning.
- While the physical flood destroyed the crops, the subsequent flood of international aid helped the community rebuild their infrastructure within a single season.

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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.