Synonyms

engulf

American

[en-guhlf] / ɛnˈgʌlf /

Also ingulf

verb (used with object)

to swallow up in or as in a gulf; submerge.

The overflowing river has engulfed many small towns along its banks.

Synonyms:

swamp, deluge, inundate, bury, envelop
to plunge or immerse, as into a gulf.

He engulfed himself in his studies.

engulf British

/ ɪnˈɡʌlf /

verb

to immerse, plunge, bury, or swallow up
(often passive) to overwhelm

engulfed by debts

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

engulfment noun

Etymology

Origin of engulf

First recorded in 1545–55; en- ¹ + gulf

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Tomlin spent the better part of the month engulfed in speculation as to whether or not he and Pittsburgh were ready to part company.

From The Wall Street Journal

At that time, inside the bar, flames had engulfed the basement.

From Barron's

It's a really popular destination year round, quite a high-end market, and not the kind of place where you would expect a fire to engulf a bar.

From BBC

A 19th century church in Amsterdam was engulfed by fire in the early hours of New Year's Day, although the cause of the blaze is not yet known.

From BBC

Whether we fight or submit straightaway, once we’re engulfed and pesky tensions like personal freedom or opinion are no longer available to us, many find it easier to float along instead of struggling.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023