1
as in to overcome
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
just the thought of how much work there is to do overwhelms me
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to engulf
to cover with a flood
that spring the massive runoff from melting snows overwhelmed the valley
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of overwhelm
Massachusetts, a sanctuary state, has been one of a number of states that have been overwhelmed by the migrant surge coming from the southern border.
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Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 7 Dec. 2024
To restore the United States’ advantage in East Asia, each branch of the armed forces has therefore embarked on efforts to deploy enough unmanned systems to overwhelm China’s denial capabilities.
—Sebastian Elbaum, Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2024
The audience was overwhelmed by the stately dance performance, a tradition carried on for over a thousand years.
—Billboard Japan, Billboard, 4 Dec. 2024
But humans have long been overwhelmed by the scale of the U.S. Code.
—Brooke Seipel, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overwhelm 
Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 7 Dec. 2024
To restore the United States’ advantage in East Asia, each branch of the armed forces has therefore embarked on efforts to deploy enough unmanned systems to overwhelm China’s denial capabilities.
—Sebastian Elbaum, Foreign Affairs, 6 Dec. 2024
The audience was overwhelmed by the stately dance performance, a tradition carried on for over a thousand years.
—Billboard Japan, Billboard, 4 Dec. 2024
But humans have long been overwhelmed by the scale of the U.S. Code.
—Brooke Seipel, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overwhelm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelm
Verb
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But the Voyager team has become increasingly creative to keep both probes flying, and soon, the challenges may be too great to overcome.Ashley Strickland, CNN, 7 Dec. 2024
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Without more specific support, Plaintiff fails to overcome the prejudice to Defendants and public interest factors implicated here.KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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But Syria’s then leader, who had succeeded his father Hafez seven years before, represented a stable contrast to the chaos engulfing neighboring Iraq.Ivan Watson, CNN, 12 Dec. 2024
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Advertisement The blaze engulfed more than 2,000 acres overnight, as crews contended with strong Santa Ana winds.Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Officials are assessing damage after Cyclone Chido devastated the island of Mayotte over the weekend.Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
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The booth was directly across the street from MacArthur Park, the epicenter of a drug epidemic that has devastated the Westlake neighborhood.Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In a world flooded with ads and messages, the brands that stand out are the ones that create real, human connections through their stories.Somdutta Singh, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
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A lot of fans flooded his comments to echo the same sentiments.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Texas will be trying to overcome a crushing loss to Georgia in the SEC title game.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2024
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The Bottom Line: Tackle The Identity Shift The biggest hurdle, says Gill, is the mindset shift that creates the idea of being a person who behaves in certain ways, as opposed a person who uses willpower to crush a checklist.Janine MacLachlan, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The more vigorous the struggle to escape, the more debt that consumes the drowning victim.Forrest Claypool, Chicago Tribune, 5 Dec. 2024
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As the Dodgers officially welcomed their latest gazillionaire pitcher to a remodeling Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, the churning of the bulldozers in the infield was momentarily drowned out by the whining around the baseball world.Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Overwhelm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelm. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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