engulfment
Definition
Noun: The act or process of being completely surrounded, covered, or absorbed by something, often in a way that is overwhelming or destructive.
Usage Examples
- (The village was completely submerged by the water.)
- (The company was fully absorbed into the larger firm.)
- (The island was entirely covered by lava.)
Advanced Usage
- "engulfment in darkness": being completely surrounded by darkness, often used metaphorically.
- After the power outage, the entire city experienced engulfment in darkness. (The city was fully enveloped by the lack of light.)
- "emotional engulfment": being completely overwhelmed by a strong emotion.
- The sudden loss led to an engulfment of grief that lasted for months. (The person was fully absorbed by sorrow.)
Variants and Related Words
- Engulf (verb): to completely surround, cover, or absorb.
- The flames engulfed the entire building. (The fire completely covered the structure.)
- Engulfing (adjective): tending to surround or absorb completely.
- The engulfing waves made swimming dangerous. (The waves were overwhelming and all-encompassing.)
Synonyms
- Submersion: the act of being put under water or another substance.
- Absorption: the process of being taken in or assimilated.
- Immersion: the state of being deeply involved or completely covered.
Related Idioms
- "swallowed up": to be completely absorbed or destroyed by something.
- The small business was swallowed up by the corporate giant. (The small business was fully absorbed into the larger company.)
Phrasal Verbs
- Engulf in: to cause someone or something to be completely covered or overwhelmed by something.
- The heavy fog engulfed the city in a thick blanket. (The fog completely covered the city.)
- Be engulfed by: to become completely surrounded or absorbed by something.
- He was engulfed by a wave of nostalgia. (He was fully overcome by a feeling of nostalgia.)