# inundated

/ˈɪnənˌdeɪtɪd/ (US) · /ˈɪnəndˌeɪtɪd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/inundated
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

feeling overwhelmed because you have too much of something to deal with at once. It is often used when you receive a huge number of emails, tasks, or requests.

For teachers: overwhelmed by an excessive amount of something; flooded or saturated. Often used in a figurative sense regarding information, requests, or tasks.

## Examples

- The office was inundated with phone calls after the announcement.
- Customer support was inundated with complaints following the unexpected server outage on Friday morning.
- The small coastal village was inundated by a surge of tourists during the summer festival, stretching local resources to their absolute breaking point.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I am inundated of work" but "I am inundated with work" — Inundated typically collocates with 'with' when referring to tasks or objects, or 'by' when referring to the source of the volume.

## Usage notes

- Often follows a linking verb and takes the preposition 'with' or 'by'.

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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.