# overflowing

/ˈoʊvɝˌfɫoʊɪŋ/ (US) · /ˌəʊvəflˈəʊɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/overflowing
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. spilling over the edges

adjective · CEFR B2

so full that the liquid or objects inside are falling out over the top.

For teachers: exceeding the capacity of a container such that the contents spill over the brim.

- He tried to carry the overflowing bucket of water without making a mess.
- The city struggled to manage the overflowing rubbish bins after the three-day music festival concluded in the park.

### 2. full of emotion

adjective · CEFR B2

having a very strong feeling that you cannot easily hide.

For teachers: characterised by an intense abundance of a particular emotion or quality.

- She greeted her old friend with an overflowing sense of joy.
- The speaker’s voice was overflowing with gratitude as he thanked the volunteers for their tireless dedication to the cause.

## Examples

- The kitchen bin is overflowing with trash.
- After the heavy rain, the river was overflowing its banks and flooding the nearby fields.
- The professor's desk was a chaotic landscape of overflowing folders and loose manuscripts, suggesting a mind far more concerned with research than with administrative order.

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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.