# flooding

/ˈfɫədɪŋ/ (US) · /flˈʌdɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/flooding
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. water covering land

noun · CEFR B1

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

For teachers: the submerging of land that is usually dry, typically caused by heavy rain or an overflowing river.

- Heavy rain caused severe flooding in the streets of the city center.
- The coastal town implemented new drainage systems to mitigate the risk of seasonal flooding caused by rising sea levels and storm surges.

### 2. emotional overwhelm

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a feeling of being so overwhelmed by emotions like anger or fear that you cannot think clearly.

For teachers: a psychological state where an individual is overwhelmed by intense emotions, often triggering a fight-or-flight response.

- When he feels emotional flooding during an argument, he needs to take a break.
- Therapists often teach grounding techniques to help patients manage emotional flooding before it escalates into a full panic attack.

### 3. exposure therapy

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a type of therapy where a person is suddenly faced with the thing they fear most to help them get over it.

For teachers: a behavioral therapy technique used to treat phobias by exposing the patient to their most feared stimulus for a prolonged period.

- The doctor suggested flooding to help her overcome her extreme fear of spiders.
- Unlike systematic desensitization, flooding involves immediate and maximum exposure to the phobic stimulus to extinguish the fear response quickly.

## Examples

- He experienced emotional flooding during the argument and had to walk away.
- When flooding occurs during a therapy session, the counselor may suggest a short break to help the client calm down.
- Psychologists observe that chronic emotional flooding can lead to defensive behaviors like stonewalling, as the individual attempts to protect themselves from an unbearable surge of physiological arousal.

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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.