Meaning & use
overflow with
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive
to be so full of something that it can no longer be contained, especially a feeling or quality
Grammar: Takes an object directly: overflow with joy.
Patterns
- overflow with something
- someone overflows with something
Her eyes overflowed with tears when she heard the news.
The children overflowed with excitement on the first day of vacation.
After the team won, the stadium overflowed with joy.
verbtransitive
to have more people or things than can be handled or contained
Grammar: Takes an object, often a place or system: overflow with applicants.
Patterns
- overflow with people
- overflow with applications
- overflow with something
The shelter overflowed with people seeking warmth.
The inbox overflowed with messages after the sale.
The small town overflows with tourists every summer.
Word forms
| third person singular | overflows with |
|---|---|
| past tense | overflowed with |
| past participle | overflowed with |
| -ing form | overflowing with |
Common combinations
- overflow with joy
- She overflowed with joy when she saw the surprise party.
- overflow with gratitude
- He overflowed with gratitude for their help.
- overflow with emotion
- The speech made the room overflow with emotion.
- overflow with people
- The train overflowed with people during rush hour.
Synonyms and how they differ
- teem with
- Used for places full of moving things or people, not for feelings like joy.
- brim with
- Very similar and often used for feelings, but it suggests being full right up to the top rather than spilling over.
- be full of
- More neutral and common in everyday speech; it does not suggest that the contents are spilling out.
Opposites
Commonly confused: overflow with or overfly?
overflow with vs overfly
Overfly means to fly over a place; it is not related to being full.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The correct pattern is 'overflow with something', so 'with guests' is right. 'Of' and 'by' do not follow 'overflow' in this sense, and the last option has the wrong word order.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “overflow with”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.