engulf

verb

en·​gulf in-ˈgəlf How to pronounce engulf (audio)
en-
engulfed; engulfing; engulfs

transitive verb

1
: to flow over and enclose : overwhelm
the mounting seas threatened to engulf the island
2
: to take in (food) by or as if by flowing over and enclosing
engulfment noun

Examples of engulf in a Sentence

The valley was engulfed in a thick fog. high waves from the hurricane engulfed large areas of the coastal community
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Friday’s development is just the latest twist in a complicated, layered, yearslong corruption scandal that has engulfed Alameda County, its county seat, Oakland, and led to the ousting of its mayor and a district attorney. Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Feb. 2025 In the weeks following the outbreak of the Eaton and Palisades Fires, the conflagrations engulfed neighborhoods, forested canyons and chaparral—a type of shrubland. Anton Sorokin, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Feb. 2025 Recent near-misses at US airports Last week, an Air Busan plane was engulfed in flames at Busan's international airport as the low-cost carrier's jet prepared to depart, with all on board evacuated safely. Lisa Barrington, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2025 Sue’s brother, Johnny, who can engulf himself in flames, is known as the Human Torch, and Richards’ best friend, Grimm, has been transformed into the Thing — a being made of rocks. Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for engulf 

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of engulf was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near engulf

Cite this Entry

“Engulf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/engulf. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

engulf

verb
en·​gulf in-ˈgəlf How to pronounce engulf (audio)
: to flow over and enclose : overwhelm
engulfment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on engulf

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!