overwhelm

verb

over·​whelm ˌō-vər-ˈ(h)welm 

overwhelmed; overwhelming; overwhelms

transitive verb

1

: upset, overthrow

The tornado overwhelmed many mobile homes.

2

a

: to cover over completely : submerge

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

b

: to overcome by superior force or numbers

The city was overwhelmed by the invading army.

c

: 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.

Synonyms

• crush
• devastate
• floor
• grind (down)
• oppress
• overcome
• overmaster
• overpower
• prostrate
• snow under
• swamp
• whelm

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

Within days of the first flames, the shelter — which was overwhelmed by donations of food bowls, blankets and large crates from grateful residents — was packed to the rafters with animals. —Johnny Dodd, People.com, 24 Jan. 2025

Although Queen has appeared in 10 consecutive contests, and 15 of the last 16, he’s only played when the team has been overwhelmed by injuries. —Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2025

These fighters are holding the line against Russians in Eastern Ukraine so that the invaders don’t overwhelm the entire country and then threaten NATO. —Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2025

When rioters shattered the glass and forced the doors open, officers tried to close them but were overwhelmed by those continuing to enter, the documents said. —Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 22 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from over entry 1 + whelmen to turn over, cover up

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

overwhelm

verb

over·​whelm ˌō-vər-ˈhwelm 

-ˈwelm

1

: to cover over completely : submerge

a boat overwhelmed by a wave

2

: to overcome completely : crush

overwhelmed by grief