In the summer of 1993, record rains in the Midwest caused the Mississippi River to overflow its banks, break through levees, and inundate the entire countryside; such an inundation hadn't been seen for at least a hundred years. By contrast, the Nile River inundated its entire valley every year, bringing the rich black silt that made the valley one of the most fertile places on earth. (The inundations ceased with the completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1970.) Whenever a critical issue is being debated, the White House and Congressional offices are inundated with phone calls and emails, just as a town may be inundated with complaints when it starts charging a fee for garbage pickup.
Rising rivers could inundate low-lying areas.
water from the overflowing bathtub inundated the bathroom floor
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After that, the team was inundated with requests from doctors seeking diagnostic help.—
Jason Liebowitz,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2026 The twin springs that gave the Revolutionary War battle its name are no more, inundated by the 1940s project that flooded the Santee River basin for hydroelectric power and flood control.—ABC News,
24 Aug. 2026 At least 100 homes were lost as floodwaters inundated neighborhoods, forced residents to flee, and damaged trees and power lines.—
Robert Abitbol,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2026 The federal judge is expected to be inundated with letters in Mangione’s support.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inundate
Word History
Etymology
Latin inundatus, past participle of inundare, from in- + unda wave — more at water