as in flooding
to cover with a flood
high waves from the hurricane engulfed large areas of the coastal community
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of engulfing
Proportional representation could also help with the deep political polarization engulfing the United States.
—
Jennifer Lynn McCoy, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2026
Video shows billowing smoke coming from the roof, and flames are engulfing the building.
—Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
In a disturbing incident in the northern city of Rasht, regime forces shot unarmed civilians trying to escape an inferno engulfing its bazaar.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Rains that fell in distant Caloocan or Valenzuela would fill the San Juan and burst its banks at Talayan, engulfing the squatters’ homes in slurry thick with leptospirosis and dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The price war engulfing China’s consumer sector is likely to persist, as sluggish demand and rising efficiency at local firms keep driving costs lower, according to a venture capital investor backing some of China’s most successful consumer brands.
—Bloomberg News, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
Exactly a year ago, Pratt and Montag documented their family's evacuation from their Palisades home on social media, sharing security camera footage that showed the fire approaching and engulfing their desk.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Witnesses described scenes of panic as flames spread rapidly through the basement level before engulfing the upper floor.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
In his post, Medvedev referred to the corruption scandal engulfing Federica Mogherini, who has been arrested in a fraud probe relating to contracts for training aspiring European diplomats.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
Jennifer Lynn McCoy, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2026
Video shows billowing smoke coming from the roof, and flames are engulfing the building.
—Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
In a disturbing incident in the northern city of Rasht, regime forces shot unarmed civilians trying to escape an inferno engulfing its bazaar.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Rains that fell in distant Caloocan or Valenzuela would fill the San Juan and burst its banks at Talayan, engulfing the squatters’ homes in slurry thick with leptospirosis and dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The price war engulfing China’s consumer sector is likely to persist, as sluggish demand and rising efficiency at local firms keep driving costs lower, according to a venture capital investor backing some of China’s most successful consumer brands.
—Bloomberg News, Bloomberg, 27 Jan. 2026
Exactly a year ago, Pratt and Montag documented their family's evacuation from their Palisades home on social media, sharing security camera footage that showed the fire approaching and engulfing their desk.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Witnesses described scenes of panic as flames spread rapidly through the basement level before engulfing the upper floor.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
In his post, Medvedev referred to the corruption scandal engulfing Federica Mogherini, who has been arrested in a fraud probe relating to contracts for training aspiring European diplomats.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for engulfing
Verb
-
But a drone had hit one of its salons, shattering a heating pipe and flooding the premises.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The first tournament of the 41st annual Snow Polo World Cup kicks off later today, and over 26,000 visitors are flooding into the Swiss resort town—nearly all of whom are taking the second rule of polo to heart.—
Jessica Sulima,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
While the larger Mallorca sees nearly 2 million visitors every August, and Menorca just around 350,000 visitors, Molina estimates Mallorca could see a million tourists that week, potentially overwhelming the Sierra de Tramuntana's fragile mountain roads.—
Ryan Craggs,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The camera plan itself was designed to balance intimacy with scale, without overwhelming either the viewer or the climber.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the number one cause of death in the United States for children ages one to four.—
Jobina Fortson-Evans,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office ruled their cause of death as drowning.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In fact, Poppick seems determined to prove that submerging yourself in the inanity of the grindset can pay creative dividends.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The most popular cleaning methods for a menstrual cup include cleaning it with natural products like baking soda or castile soap, submerging it in a sterilizing solution like the type used for baby bottles or boiling it for five to 10 minutes.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Engulfing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/engulfing. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
