deluge

[ del-yooj, -yoozh, del-ooj, -oozh, dih-looj, -loozh ]

noun

1. a great flood of water; inundation; flood.
2. a drenching rain; downpour.
3. anything that overwhelms like a flood:

   a deluge of mail.

   Synonyms: catastrophe, cataclysm

4. the Deluge. flood ( def 3 ).

verb (used with object)

, del·uged, del·ug·ing.

1. to flood; inundate.
2. to overrun; overwhelm:

   She was deluged with congratulatory letters.

Deluge

¹

/ ˈdɛljuːdʒ /

noun

1. the Deluge
   another name for the Flood

deluge

²

/ ˈdɛljuːdʒ /

noun

1. a great flood of water
2. torrential rain; downpour
3. an overwhelming rush or number

   a deluge of requests

verb

1. to flood, as with water; soak, swamp, or drown
2. to overwhelm or overrun; inundate

Other Words From

• un·deluged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of deluge¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Old French, from Latin dīluvium “flood,” equivalent to dīluv-, base of dīluere “to wash away, dissolve” ( dī- di ² + -luere, combining form of lavere “to wash”) + -ium -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of deluge¹

C14: from Old French, from Latin dīluvium a washing away, flood, from dīluere to wash away, drench, from di- dis- ¹+ -luere, from lavere to wash

Synonym Study

See flood.

Example Sentences

Regulators want to give more time to car dealers potentially facing a deluge of claims for mis-sold finance agreements.

From BBC

But in 2019, extreme rains brought a deluge that engulfed villages, grasslands and forests.

From BBC

The reach of the posts is nowhere near the deluge of content that circulated after Trump lost the 2020 election.

From BBC

When we arrived at the family home, a few days after the deluge, it was languishing in a sea of destruction.

From BBC

Still, many voters seem unimpressed by candidate or celebrity appearances or the deluge of ads.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• avalanche
• barrage
• cataclysm
• inundation
• spate
• torrent