awash

¹

[ uh-wosh, uh-wawsh ]

adjective

1. Nautical.
   1. just level with or scarcely above the surface of the water, so that waves break over the top.
   2. overflowing with water, as the upper deck of a ship in a heavy sea.
2. covered with water.
3. washing about; tossed about by the waves.
4. covered, filled, or crowded:

   streets awash with shoppers; a garden awash in brilliant colors.

Awash

²

[ ah-wahsh ]

noun

1. a river in E Ethiopia, flowing NE through the Great Rift Valley to near the Djibouti border. 500 miles (805 km) long.

awash

/ əˈwɒʃ /

adverb

1. at a level even with the surface of the sea
2. washed over by the waves

Word History and Origins

Origin of awash¹

First recorded in 1825–35; a- ¹ + wash

Example Sentences

These ersatz social events are awash in positive vibes, but they also make deprivations of the past year stark.

From Washington Post

At a moment when the world is awash in surplus natural gas, much of it from Texas wells, the state’s power-generating operators were unable to turn that gas into electricity to meet that demand.

From Washington Post

The world isn’t exactly awash with “virtual humans” just yet, but the Samsung-owned venture has continued to progress.

From Popular-Science

Pretending isn’t something you have to do with me since I’m awash in all of your collective dirty laundry all the time.

From Ozy

From Washington state to West Virginia and from Texas to Pennsylvania, the country was awash in record or near-record case counts Thursday.

From Washington Post

Men and women of good intent who simply seek “the truth” upon which to base their opinions find themselves awash in folderol.

From The Daily Beast

But this patient was a doctor who had been treating people with Ebola in a facility awash with hyper-infective fluids.

From The Daily Beast

It’s arguably the best film of the ‘90s—a postmodern pop culture smorgasbord awash in nihilism and dripping with retro cool.

From The Daily Beast

Back then, every single newspaper, website, and news show (even the fake news shows) was awash in gridiron scandal.

From The Daily Beast

The financial system is awash with money, yet the Federal Reserve accuses both consumers and institutions of hoarding it.

From The Daily Beast

The submarine wasn't in sight, but that red ball was just awash and moving toward the shore.

From Project Gutenberg

I knew that by the look of the water, and as we neared the bank I saw it was all awash and without the vestige of an opening.

From Project Gutenberg

At Scoville temperatures like that, your brain gets totally awash in endorphins.

From Project Gutenberg

I do not speak without knowledge who have seen the land from Delhi south awash with blood.'

From Project Gutenberg

Why, a few turns of that wheel when in the awash trim would admit enough water in two minutes to sink the boat.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• afloat
• flooded
• inundated