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.

For example, an American Iron Dome, if proven successful, could be seen as a threat by some and result in an arms race to overwhelm it. —

David Szondy, New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2025 Instead, Stephen Miller, the deputy White House chief of staff for policy, has taken the lead in the approach to overwhelm the opposition while moving quickly on the president's agenda. —

Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025 That shortlist provided constant fodder for conversation, and threatened to overwhelm the typical amiable pre-screening chatter about the actual program of films. —

Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2025 There’s a swath of wine, cocktails, appetizers, desserts and entrees to choose from, but it’s not meant to overwhelm the customer who’s not used to eating at restaurants with white tablecloths. —

Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 1 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for overwhelm