noun
swamp
SWOMP
noun
1
An area of wet, spongy, low-lying land, often with trees, that supports rich but sometimes difficult-to-access wildlife.
"Alligators bask along the edges of the swamp."
"The trail wound through a cypress swamp."
verb
1
To overwhelm someone with too much of something, especially work or requests.
"The helpline was swamped with calls after the storm."
"She was swamped with emails after returning from leave."
2
To flood or fill something with water.
"A rogue wave swamped the small boat."
How to Use Swamp
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA soggy, low wetland — or, figuratively, to completely overwhelm someone with too much of something.
Common pairings
swamped with work
a cypress swamp
swamp the boat
Word Forms
swamped past tense, swamps plural, swamps singular
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Alligators bask along the edges of the _____.
Etymology
Probably a blend of Old English swamm ("fungus, sponge") and Middle English sompe ("marsh"), first widely recorded in colonial North America.