flooding

The word “flooding” means the occurrence of a flood, or water overflowing onto normally dry land. In plain terms, water spreading over land, or (in psychology) intense, sudden exposure therapy.

“Flooding” is pronounced FLUH-dihng (/ˈflʌdɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “flooding” used in a sentence: “Flooding closed several roads after the storm.”

“Flooding” is a noun.

“Flooding” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Flooding” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the occurrence of a flood, or water overflowing onto normally dry land.

"A flood" names a single overflow of water onto dry land, while "flooding" refers to the ongoing occurrence or general phenomenon of water overflowing. Weather reports often say "flooding is expected" to describe the broad situation rather than one specific flood.

In therapy, "flooding" is a technique that exposes a person to a feared object or situation all at once, rather than gradually. It aims to reduce fear by having the person confront the trigger fully until the anxiety subsides.

Both are exposure techniques for treating fears, but "flooding" confronts the feared situation fully and immediately, while gradual (or graded) exposure introduces it in small, increasing steps. Flooding is faster and more intense; gradual exposure is slower and gentler.

In the water sense, "flooding" pairs with words like "flash flooding," "coastal flooding," "severe flooding," and "widespread flooding." These phrases specify the cause, location, or scale of the overflow.