inundate

/ˈɪn.ən.deɪt/

Group 24Difficulty 1/3

Definition

(verb)
To overwhelm with things to be dealt with; to flood
GRE

Example in Context

The agency was inundated with applications after the program was announced, receiving ten times the volume it had capacity to process.

Synonyms

floodoverwhelmswamp

Etymology

To flood or overwhelm with things, as if pouring into.

  • in- (Latin) — into
  • undare (Latin) — to flood

Memory Aid

🌊Sounds like “inundate

When my inbox INUNDATES me with emails, I feel like I'm drowning in a digital OCEAN!

Visual Association

🌧️A giant tidal wave of paperwork crashing over a desk, completely inundating it with chaos.

Semantic Clusters

Synonym Groups

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “inundate” mean on the GRE?

inundate (verb) means “To overwhelm with things to be dealt with; to flood”. The agency was inundated with applications after the program was announced, receiving ten times the volume it had capacity to process.

How to remember “inundate” for the GRE?

Mnemonic: “inundate” sounds like “inundate”. When my inbox INUNDATES me with emails, I feel like I'm drowning in a digital OCEAN!

What are synonyms for “inundate”?

Common synonyms: flood, overwhelm, swamp.