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Inundation: meaning, definitions and examples

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inundation

 

[ ˌɪnʌnˈdeɪʃən ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

natural disaster

An inundation is a situation in which a large area of land becomes covered with water, especially in a sudden and unexpected way. It can also refer to the overwhelming presence of something, such as emotions or information.

Synonyms

deluge, flood, overflow

Examples of usage

  • The town suffered from a devastating inundation after heavy rainfall caused the river to overflow.
  • The inundation of messages in my inbox made it impossible to keep up with all the emails.
Context #2 | Noun

figurative use

Inundation can also be used in a figurative sense to describe an overwhelming amount of something, such as tasks or requests.

Synonyms

deluge, flood, overflow

Examples of usage

  • I faced an inundation of work after returning from vacation.
  • The inundation of donation requests overwhelmed the charity organization.

Translations

Translations of the word "inundation" in other languages:

🇵🇹 inundação

🇮🇳 बाढ़

🇩🇪 Überschwemmung

🇮🇩 banjir

🇺🇦 повінь

🇵🇱 powódź

🇯🇵 洪水 (こうずい)

🇫🇷 inondation

🇪🇸 inundación

🇹🇷 sel

🇰🇷 홍수

🇸🇦 فيضان

🇨🇿 povodeň

🇸🇰 povodeň

🇨🇳 洪水 (hóngshuǐ)

🇸🇮 poplava

🇮🇸 flóð

🇰🇿 су тасқыны

🇬🇪 წყალდიდობა (tskhaldidoba)

🇦🇿 sel

🇲🇽 inundación

Etymology

The word 'inundation' has its origins in the Latin word 'inundatio,' which means 'an overflowing.' It has been used in English since the late 16th century to refer to a flood or deluge, both in the literal sense of a sudden overflow of water and in the figurative sense of an overwhelming presence of something. The concept of inundation has been a common theme in literature and art, symbolizing both the destructive power of nature and the overwhelming nature of emotions or information. The word continues to be used today to describe situations of flooding as well as metaphorical inundations of various kinds.

See also: inundated.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #18,885, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.