inundate

/ˈɪnʌndeɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪnʌndeɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈi-(ˌ)nən-ˌdāt/ (ame, mw)

inundate — verb

  • inundatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • inundateshe / she / it
  • inundatedpast simple
  • inundating-ing form

1. to send or give a person or organisation far more requests, messages, or items t

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to send or give a person or organisation far more requests, messages, or items than they have time or capacity to handle.

例句

After the product launch, the support team was inundated with angry customer emails.

passive: be inundated with + plural noun (messages)

Reema inundated the helpline with questions about her visa application.

active: inundate + organisation + with + plural noun

同義詞
  • swamp

    informal; same meaning, used in everyday speech

  • overwhelm

    broader; covers emotional and physical overload, not just volume

  • deluge

    formal and literary; emphasises a sudden flood-like arrival

  • bombard

    suggests rapid, repeated impact, often of questions or criticism

文法句型

be inundated with + noun

inundate + somebody + with + something

用法筆記

Frequently passive ('be inundated with…'); the subject is usually a person or organisation receiving an overload of requests, calls, or items. The object of 'with' is almost always plural or uncountable.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher inundated me a lot of homework.
✅The teacher inundated me with a lot of homework.
💡'inundate' requires 'with' before the thing causing the overload.
❌I was inundated by one email.
✅I was inundated with hundreds of emails.
💡'inundate' implies a large quantity, not a single item.

2. to cover land or buildings with a large quantity of water, especially when a riv

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to cover land or buildings with a large quantity of water, especially when a river overflows or a storm hits.

例句

Heavy rain inundated the rice fields outside Kenji's village last August.

active: water as subject; named place inundated

The Mississippi River inundated several towns after the levee broke.

named river as subject

同義詞
  • flood

    everyday word for the same event; less formal than 'inundate'

  • submerge

    emphasises being completely under water, not just covered

  • engulf

    suggests being swallowed up, often more dramatic and complete

反義詞
  • drain

    to remove water from a flooded area

文法句型

inundate + place

be inundated by/with + water

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (work/messages): this sense always involves real water and a physical place. Subject is typically a river, storm, or rainfall; object is land, fields, towns, or buildings.

常見錯誤

❌The storm inundated everyone with fear.
✅The storm inundated the coastal villages.
💡this sense needs water and a physical location, not an emotion.