What does it mean to swallow or overwhelm by overflowing?

The term that best captures the idea of being swallowed or overwhelmed by overflowing is "engulf." This word conveys a sense of being completely surrounded or overwhelmed by something, such as water or a larger force. When you think of the imagery associated with "engulf," it often involves a total immersion or inundation, reflecting the notion of being overrun by an abundance of something.

In various contexts, to "engulf" can describe situations where one force overpowers another, often in a dramatic fashion, such as a wave crashing over a shore. This aligns closely with the idea of being overwhelmed in a literal or metaphorical sense.

While the other terms—overcome, submerge, and drown—may have overlapping meanings, they don't fully capture the rich connotation of total immersion and overwhelming quantity that "engulf" does. Therefore, "engulf" is the most precise choice to describe the scenario of being swallowed or overwhelmed by overflowing.