What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
flooding
Example
The city experienced severe flooding after the hurricane. [flooding: noun]
Example
The river is expected to flood its banks due to the heavy rainfall. [flood: verb]
overflow
Example
The bathtub overflowed because I left the tap running. [overflow: verb]
Example
The stadium was overflowing with fans during the championship game. [overflowing: gerund or present participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Flooding is more commonly used than overflow in the context of natural disasters or weather-related news. Overflow is more commonly used in everyday language to describe situations where a container or space is filled beyond capacity.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between flooding and overflow?
Both flooding and overflow are neutral in terms of formality and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
