Covered with water

AWASH

Think of how a deck might look after a heavy wave crashes over it, leaving everything soaked but not submerged.

"Covered with water" directly hints at something submerged or flooded, and "awash" fits perfectly as it means exactly that—literally soaked or overflowing with water. The word can also describe being overwhelmed by something, like emotions, but here the clue sticks to its straightforward physical meaning. Think of a deck "awash" in waves or a street flooded after heavy rain. No tricks or wordplay, just a clear match between clue and answer.