inundation

/ˌɪnʌnˈdeɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪnʌnˈdeɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌi(ˌ)nənˈdāshən/ (ame, mw)

inundation — noun

  • inundationsingular
  • inundationsplural

1. a situation where a large amount of water spreads over land that is normally dry

1.名詞C1
釋義

a situation where a large amount of water spreads over land that is normally dry.

例句

The village faced inundation after two days of rain pushed the river over its banks.

face inundation after a river rises beyond its banks

Emergency crews built sandbag walls as coastal inundation reached the hotel car park.

coastal inundation in a storm-preparation context

同義詞
  • flood

    the everyday word for water covering land

  • overflow

    focuses more on water going beyond its normal limit

  • deluge

    more dramatic and often suggests a sudden heavy rush

反義詞
  • dryness

    the state of having little or no water

  • drought

    a long period with too little rain instead of too much water

用法筆記

Most often used in formal reports, news writing, or planning documents rather than casual speech. It commonly describes floodwater covering land, roads, tunnels, or fields.

常見錯誤

❌Heavy rain inundation the town last night.
✅Heavy rain inundated the town last night.
💡'inundation' is a noun, so the verb form is 'inundate'.
❌The road had an inundation of traffic.
✅The road had heavy traffic.
💡this sense is for water covering an area, not for ordinary traffic volume.

2. a sudden rush of visitors, messages, or other arrivals that is hard to manage.

2.名詞C1
釋義

a sudden rush of visitors, messages, or other arrivals that is hard to manage.

例句

The help desk received an inundation of emails after the airline canceled every evening flight.

an inundation of + plural noun for overwhelming quantity

Small clinics struggled with an inundation of patients during the winter flu outbreak.

formal figurative use for a sudden rush of people

同義詞
  • flood

    less formal and the most common everyday choice

  • surge

    often stresses a sharp upward movement in numbers

  • wave

    suggests one group arriving together or in sequence

反義詞
  • trickle

    a small slow number arriving over time

  • shortage

    too few people or things instead of too many

用法筆記

Usually followed by 'of' plus the things or people arriving. This sense is figurative and is common in formal descriptions of complaints, messages, requests, or visitors.

常見錯誤

❌I got an inundation from my manager this morning.
✅I got a flood of messages from my manager this morning.
💡'inundation' needs many things arriving, not one item.
❌The shop had an inundation of one customer.
✅The shop had a sudden stream of customers.
💡this word suggests a large overwhelming number, not a single arrival.