overwhelm

verb

over·whelm ˌō-vər-ˈ(h)welm

overwhelmed; overwhelming; overwhelms

Synonyms of overwhelm next

transitive verb

: upset, overthrow

The tornado overwhelmed many mobile homes.

: to cover over completely : submerge

The city was overwhelmed by the flooding caused by the hurricane.

: to overcome by superior force or numbers

The city was overwhelmed by the invading army.

: to overpower in thought or feeling

overwhelmed with grief

overwhelmed by terror

A sense of inadequacy overwhelmed me.

overwhelmed with guilt

Did you know?

Let’s face it: life can get overwhelming. A person might be overwhelmed by a sensory experience or emotion; a city might be overwhelmed by an influx of tourists. Things can underwhelm, too: a bland meal, a bare wall, a lackluster playlist. But how often does an experience just, well, whelm you? The answer, unassumingly, is just as often as one overwhelms you—the two verbs are in fact largely synonymous. Both come from Middle English whelmen, meaning "to overturn," and overwhelm has always been more popular, perhaps because the emphatic redundancy of overwhelm makes it seem more apt for describing reactions to powerful forces or feelings.

Examples of overwhelm in a Sentence

Don't overwhelm him with facts. They were overwhelmed with work. The city was overwhelmed by the invading army.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The shelves above it have a display of intriguing objects that don’t overwhelm the room; the mirror reflects daylight, but not at eye level which could be distracting. —

Nicolas Milon, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2024 This approach also allows businesses to adopt next-generation capabilities without overwhelming their existing infrastructure or processes as an organization, enticing your organization to continue with transformation along the way. —

Josh Ashby, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 The news of Beau’s death, along with, now, the heartbreaking news of Jackie’s arrest in connection with his death has overwhelmed us with grief and speculation and confusion. —

Vicki Gerdes / Forum News Service, Twin Cities, 4 Nov. 2024 Cold-weather styles tend to involve longer hemlines and voluminous silhouettes that can overwhelm petite frames. —

Esme Benjamin, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for overwhelm