engulf
gb/ɪŋɡˈʌlf/ us/ɪŋɡˈʌlf/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
cover completely and destroy
to cover something completely, often in a dangerous way
Usage pattern:
[something] engulfs [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Often used in the passive: 'was engulfed in/by'. Don't use it for small or partial covering.
Synonyms
swallow up (Emphasizes being taken in completely.)
|
consume (Focuses on destruction, especially by fire.)
|
overtake (Highlights rapid spreading over an area.)
Antonyms
spare (Means to leave unharmed or untouched.)
|
uncover (Means to remove what covers something.)
Collocations
engulfed in flames
|engulf the building
|engulf the town
|engulf the boat
|engulfed by waves
|engulf the coastline
|engulfed by fire
|engulf the street
|be quickly engulfed
|engulfed within minutes
Themes
nature
|disasters
|news
Examples
- Within minutes, the fire engulfed the warehouse.
- A sudden wave engulfed the small boat and knocked everyone overboard.
- Lava flows engulfed the road and cut off the village.
Learner examples
- The fire engulfed the house.
- Big waves engulfed the boat.
Verb
B2
action
2
surround and hide from view
to cover a place so you cannot see clearly
Usage pattern:
[fog/smoke/darkness] engulfs [place/thing]
Common mistake:
Not usually used for a light or thin covering; it suggests being fully surrounded.
Synonyms
envelop (Slightly more neutral and often more literary.)
|
shroud (Stresses concealment, often with a dramatic tone.)
|
blanket (Common with weather; suggests a layer over an area.)
Antonyms
clear (Means to become free of fog/smoke or easier to see.)
|
reveal (Means to make something visible or known.)
Collocations
fog engulfed the valley
|engulfed in darkness
|engulfed by smoke
|mist engulfed the hills
|engulf the streetlights
|engulf the harbor
|engulfed at dusk
|engulfed overnight
|engulf the skyline
|engulfed in a thick fog
Themes
weather
|daily_life
|travel
Examples
- Fog engulfed the valley and forced drivers to slow down.
- When the power went out, darkness engulfed the room.
- Thick smoke engulfed the stage during the special effects.
Learner examples
- Fog engulfed the town.
Verb
C1
action
3
overwhelm emotionally or mentally
to feel completely taken over by a strong feeling or problem
Usage pattern:
[someone] is engulfed by/in [emotion/problem]
Common mistake:
Usually used with strong, often negative feelings (grief, fear, anxiety) and in passive forms.
Synonyms
overwhelm (More general and the most common alternative.)
|
consume (Suggests the feeling dominates a person over time.)
|
swamp (More informal; emphasizes having too much to handle.)
Antonyms
calm (Means to become less upset or anxious.)
|
relieve (Means to reduce a burden or unpleasant feeling.)
Collocations
engulfed by grief
|engulfed in fear
|engulfed by anxiety
|engulfed by guilt
|engulfed in panic
|be engulfed in despair
|engulfed by stress
|engulfed by doubt
|engulfed by sadness
|engulfed in emotion
Themes
emotions
|health
|society
Examples
- She was engulfed by grief after the funeral.
- As the deadline approached, he felt engulfed by anxiety.
- The region was engulfed in chaos after the storm.
Learner examples
- I was engulfed by fear.
Verb
formal
C1
process
4
absorb into something larger
to grow and include smaller places or groups
Usage pattern:
[larger thing] engulfs [smaller thing]
Common mistake:
Not the same as 'involve'; it implies one thing disappears into the larger one.
Synonyms
absorb (Neutral; emphasizes becoming part of a whole.)
|
subsume (More formal; stresses being brought under a larger category or control.)
|
take over (Emphasizes control, often in business contexts.)
Antonyms
separate (Means to keep things apart rather than merging them.)
|
preserve (Means to keep something unchanged or intact.)
Collocations
the city engulfed nearby villages
|urban sprawl engulfed
|engulf smaller companies
|engulf the suburbs
|engulf its rivals
|engulf local businesses
|engulf neighboring towns
|a giant that engulfs competitors
|engulf the market
|engulfed by development
Themes
business
|cities
|society
Examples
- Over the decades, the city has engulfed once-rural villages.
- Critics say big chains are engulfing local shops.
- The new platform rapidly engulfed smaller competitors.
Learner examples
- The city engulfed nearby towns.
Verb
C1
action
5
eat or swallow quickly
to eat something very fast
Usage pattern:
[someone/animal] engulfs [food]
Common mistake:
This meaning is less common than the 'fire/water' or 'overwhelm' meanings; 'devour' is often more natural.
Synonyms
devour (The most common synonym for eating quickly and eagerly.)
|
wolf down (Informal; stresses speed.)
|
gobble up (Often suggests noisy or greedy eating.)
Antonyms
nibble (Means to eat in small bites, slowly.)
|
savor (Means to eat slowly and enjoy the taste.)
Collocations
engulf a sandwich
|engulf his dinner
|engulf the meal
|engulf a burger
|engulf the pizza
|engulf the food
|engulfed in seconds
|engulf it whole
|engulfed two slices
|engulfed the last bite
Themes
food
|daily_life
Examples
- He engulfed his sandwich in two bites.
- The dog engulfed the food before anyone could stop it.
- She engulfed a bowl of noodles after the long run.
Learner examples
- He engulfed his meal.
Grammar
Dictionary form
engulf
IPA
GB/ɪŋɡˈʌlf/
US/ɪŋɡˈʌlf/
Syllables & stress
en - gulf (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (gulf)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: engulf
- 3rd Person Singular: engulfs
- Present Participle: engulfing
- Past: engulfed
Word family
Forms
engulfs
verb
engulfing
verb
engulfed
verb
Related words
gulf
noun A2
Advanced or less common
engulfment
noun
Expressions
be engulfed by smoke
1/bˈi ɪŋɡˈʌlft bˈaɪ smˈoʊk/
fixed phrase
be surrounded by thick smoke
to be covered with a lot of smoke
Examples
- The hallway was engulfed by smoke, and the alarm was blaring.
- Several neighborhoods were engulfed by smoke from the wildfire.
be engulfed by waves
1/bˈi ɪŋɡˈʌlft bˈaɪ wˈeɪvz/
fixed phrase
be covered by seawater
to be covered by big waves
Examples
- The kayak was engulfed by waves as the storm moved in.
- Several hikers were engulfed by waves while standing on the rocks.
be engulfed in a sea of [people/things]
1/bˈi ɪŋɡˈʌlft ˈɪn ə sˈi əv pˈipəlθɪŋz/
idiom
be surrounded by a huge crowd
to be surrounded by many similar things
Examples
- On the first day of the festival, we were engulfed in a sea of people.
- The small stage was almost engulfed in a sea of flags and banners.
be engulfed in controversy
1/bˈi ɪŋɡˈʌlft ˈɪn kˈɑntɹəvˌɚsi/
fixed phrase
formal
become a public scandal
to be involved in a big public argument or scandal
Examples
- The company was engulfed in controversy after the data leak.
- A senior official resigned as the administration was engulfed in controversy.
be engulfed in darkness
1/bˈi ɪŋɡˈʌlft ˈɪn dˈɑɹknəs/
fixed phrase
become completely dark
to become completely dark
Examples
- After the blackout, the entire street was engulfed in darkness.
- The trail was engulfed in darkness long before we reached the cabin.
be engulfed in flames
1/bˈi ɪŋɡˈʌlft ˈɪn flˈeɪmz/
fixed phrase
be completely on fire
to be completely burning
Examples
- Minutes after the crash, the car was engulfed in flames.
- By the time firefighters arrived, the roof was engulfed in flames.
be engulfed in grief/fear (etc.)
1/bˈi ɪŋɡˈʌlft ˈɪn ɡɹˈiffˈɛɹ ˌɛtsˈɛtɚə ‖/
fixed phrase
be overwhelmed by emotion
to feel an emotion very strongly
Examples
- He was engulfed in grief for months after the loss.
- In the final seconds of the match, she was engulfed in panic.
engulf [someone] in a hug
1/ɪŋɡˈʌlf sˈʌmwˌʌn ˈɪn ə hˈʌɡ/
fixed phrase
hug very tightly
to hug someone very tightly
Examples
- She engulfed her son in a hug when he walked through the door.
- He laughed and engulfed his friend in a hug.