flood the zone

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flood the zone (third-person singular simple present floods the zone, present participle flooding the zone, simple past and past participle flooded the zone) (usually followed by with)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see flood,‎ the,‎ zone.
   • 1907, Charles E. Magoon, Hearings Before the Committee on Interoceanic Canals of the United States Senate, In the Matter of the Senate Resolution adopted January 9, 1906, providing for an Investigation of Matters relating to the Panama Canal, Etc.‎^[1], volume 1, Goverment Printing Office, retrieved 30 August 2025, page 717:

     Mr. Magoon. It would not flood the Zone, but my understanding is that it would flood about 120 square miles.

   • 1944 February 1, “Fire protection for aircraft powerplants”, in Aero Digest, volume 44, number 2, retrieved 30 August 2025, page 224:

     Potential fire zones through which no air flows do not require equal agent distribution, but do require sufficient agent to flood the zone.

2. (chiefly US, idiomatic, sports) To fill a relevant region of the field of play.
   • 1998 November 22, Hal Bock, “Hail To Flutie And The Gang: Miracle Pass to Phelan Still Has Lasting Effect on Players”, in Los Angeles Times, retrieved 3 September 2018:

     The NFL renaissance of Doug Flutie is a reminder of one of the great plays in college football history. […] "The play was called 'Trips Right, Flood Tip,'" Phelan said. "That meant three receivers to the right side, flood the zone and try for the tip."

   • 2017 April 17, Andy McCullough, “Dodgers taxed bullpen gives up first homer in 4-2 loss to Diamondbacks”, in Los Angeles Times, retrieved 3 September 2018:

     McCarthy could spot his curveball for strikes, and flooded the zone with fastballs and cutters.

   • 2017 November 19, Jonah Keri, “Astros Lead Our Offseason Power Rankings”, in Sports Illustrated, retrieved 3 September 2018:

     Of the 17 Padres position players who saw the most playing time in 2017, 16 of them were 29 or younger. […] Of course, simply flooding the zone with young players doesn't guarantee anything.

3. (idiomatic, by extension) To provide a very large quantity (of something).
   • 2008 April 17, Bryan Walsh, “How to Win the War on Global Warming”, in Time, retrieved 3 September 2018:

     While Washington should flood the zone with research funding, it should refrain from trying to pick a winner.

   • 2014 July 6, Charles M. Blow, “Opinion: Ramparts Against Republicans”, in New York Times, retrieved 3 September 2018:

     Republicans believe that they have a chance of taking control of the Senate in November. […] And big-money conservatives are flooding the zone with cash to ensure victory.

   • 2018 February 13, Anne Applebaum, “A Russian dissident pulls off a virtuoso trolling of the Putin regime”, in Washington Post, retrieved 3 September 2018:

     [A]s former Trump advisor Stephen K. Bannon so eloquently puts it — “the real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with sh–.”

   • 2025 January 28, Luke Broadwater, “Trump’s ‘Flood the Zone’ Strategy Leaves Opponents Gasping in Outrage”, in The New York Times‎^[2], →ISSN:

     The strategy has existed since at least 2018, when the former Trump administration strategist Stephen K. Bannon boasted of the ability to overwhelm Democrats and any media opposition through a determined effort to “flood the zone” with initiatives. This time, the flood is bigger, wider and more brutally efficient.

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