overflow

verb
UK: /ˌəʊvəˈfləʊ/
US: /ˌoʊvərˈfloʊ/

  1. When a liquid or substance spills over the edge of a container.

    1. The bath is going to overflow!
    2. Heavy rains caused the river to overflow its banks, flooding nearby towns.

  2. To be too full; to have more of something than can be held or managed.

    1. The bin did overflow every week.
    2. The theater did overflow with excited fans eager to see the new play tonight.

Synonyms

spill flood excess surplus
overflow noun

  1. An amount that exceeds what is needed or can be contained; the act of overflowing.

    1. There was an overflow of water.
    2. The overflow from the dam threatened to flood the small village downstream.

  2. A pipe or opening that allows excess liquid to escape from a container.

    1. Check the overflow in the sink.
    2. The plumber checked the overflow pipe to ensure it was not blocked, after the incident.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "overflow" in English means: When a liquid or substance spills over the edge of a container., To be too full; to have more of something than can be held or managed..

The phonetic transcription of "overflow" is /ˌəʊvəˈfləʊ/ in British English and /ˌoʊvərˈfloʊ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "overflow": spill, flood, excess, surplus.

Example usage of "overflow": "The bath is going to overflow!". More examples on the page.