overflowing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "overflowing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is filled to the point of spilling over, often used in both literal and metaphorical contexts. Example: "The basket was overflowing with fresh fruits, making it a delightful sight."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Clinics and hospitals across the city were overflowing with the wounded.

The Guardian

Digital parking spaces that signal when they are empty, and smart bins that send a message to rubbish collectors when they are overflowing, will be installed across the city centre from September in the first city-wide project to trial these technologies in the UK.

The Guardian - Tech

"I don't want my bins stinking and overflowing.

The Guardian

But the doors of the small rooms in Scotland Yard, filled to overflowing with thousands of macabre and poignant objects tracing centuries of crime and detective work, will remain firmly closed: the exhibition will open at the Museum of London in October.

The Guardian

At the height of the epidemic in a country where the health infrastructure had been ravaged by two back-to-back civil wars, overflowing health clinics had to turn away people, often to die on the streets.

The Guardian

By 2007, the site's inbox was overflowing with takedown emails.

The Guardian - Books

With its soaring church spire, pastel-coloured chalets and splendid lakeside location, Hallstatt looks every inch a picture-postcard alpine town – a place that echoes with the sound of cowbells and yodelling, every windowbox overflowing with edelweiss.

The Guardian - Arts

Just about every leader who has been focusing on Ebola is saying what lessons can we learn for the next time Dr David Nabarro, UN Ebola lead co-ordinator But Nabarro said: "I'd rather have empty or minimally filled treatment centres than overflowing treatment centres.

The Guardian

A house overflowing with more than 100 people presumed to be in the US illegally was uncovered just outside Houston on Wednesday, a police spokesman said.

The Guardian

George Clinton was as political as anyone, but Funkadelic's solution was to leave earth entirely, build a psychedelic mothership and blast off into space to start again on a new planet overflowing with dolphins and LSD.

The Guardian - Music

The government's coffers are overflowing, thanks to taxes on Argentina's booming exports.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "overflowing" to vividly describe situations where something exceeds its capacity, creating a sense of abundance or excess. For example, "The theater was overflowing with enthusiastic fans."

Common error

Avoid using "overflowing" in contexts where a more precise term like "abundant" or "filled" would be more appropriate. For example, instead of saying "The report was overflowing with data", consider "The report contained abundant data".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "overflowing" is as a verb (present participle) and noun. Ludwig AI confirms this, showing its use in contexts where it describes the state of exceeding capacity, such as "clinics and hospitals across the city were overflowing with the wounded".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

4%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "overflowing" is a versatile word used to describe something filled beyond its capacity, whether literally or figuratively. Ludwig AI identifies it as a verb and noun, commonly appearing in news and media contexts to emphasize abundance or excess. While grammatically sound, it's important to use "overflowing" where its vivid imagery is most effective, avoiding overuse in abstract contexts where more precise terms might be suitable. Consider alternatives like "brimming" or "teeming" to tailor your language to the specific nuance you wish to convey. In summary, "overflowing" is a powerful descriptor when used judiciously.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

brimming

Indicates being full to the brim, often with positive connotations of abundance.

teeming

Suggests being filled with a large number of things or people, often implying activity or liveliness.

swarming

Implies being crowded with a moving mass of people or things.

flooded

Indicates being overwhelmed with something, often water or other liquid.

saturated

Suggests being completely filled or soaked with something.

abundant

Describes a plentiful supply of something.

replete

Implies being filled to satisfaction, often with food or drink.

awash

Suggests being covered or filled with a large amount of something, often water or light.

bursting

Indicates being so full that it is likely to break open.

excessive

Describes something that is more than necessary, normal, or desirable.

FAQs

How can I use "overflowing" in a sentence?

You can use "overflowing" to describe something that is filled beyond its capacity. For example: "The river was overflowing after the heavy rain."

What can I say instead of "overflowing"?

You can use alternatives like "brimming", "teeming", or "abundant" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "overflowing with" or "overflowing of"?

"Overflowing with" is the correct and more common usage. For example, "The garden was overflowing with flowers" is correct.

What's the difference between "overflowing" and "full"?

"Full" simply means that something is filled to its capacity, while "overflowing" means that it is filled beyond its capacity, causing it to spill over.