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deluge

noun, verb

Definition: (n.) heavy downpour or flood; (v.) to overwhelm with a large amount of something

Synonyms: (n.) torrent, downpour, flood, cataclysm, spate, inundation, (v.) douse, drench, soak, engulf, inundate, oversupply

Antonyms: sprinkling, undersupply

Tips: Deluge comes from the Latin word deluere, "to wash away." Although its original meaning had to do literally with water, as in a disastrous flood or heavy rainfall, it is often used figuratively to indicate that a large amount of something has overwhelmed a situation, often with serious consequences. The verb usage of deluge is synonymous with inundate. Both words have similar origins regarding flooding or a downpour of rain. We recommend using the verb inundate versus the verb deluge to describe the action of being flooded and the noun deluge to denote the flood itself. (i.e: "The movie star was inundated (flooded) by the deluge (flood) of fan mail that came in after the movie premier.")

Usage Examples:

After we advertised the job, we were deluged with applications. (inundated) verb

Karen was caught in a deluge on her way to the interview, and her clothing and papers were soaked. (downpour) noun

I was deluged with extra work last week, so now I have to go into the office over the weekend. (inundated, engulfed) verb

We hoped that the deluge wouldn't cause any serious mud slides. (torrent, downpour) noun


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