overpower

verb

over·​pow·​er ˌō-vər-ˈpau̇(-ə)r 

overpowered; overpowering; overpowers

transitive verb

1

: to overcome by superior force : subdue

2

: to affect with overwhelming intensity

the stench overpowered us

3

: to provide with more power than is needed or desirable

a dangerously overpowered car

overpoweringly

ˌō-vər-ˈpau̇(-ə)r-iŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of overpower

• subdue
• dominate
• conquer
• subject
• defeat

Examples of overpower in a Sentence

She was able to overpower her attacker.

The police overpowered the man and handcuffed him.

The troops were overpowered by the stronger enemy forces.

His personality overpowers everyone else's.

The delicate taste of the wine was overpowered by the spiciness of the food.

Recent Examples on the Web

Their firmer textures stay intact in the boozy liquid, and their easygoing flavors won’t overpower your drink. — Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 June 2026

Plug-ins require frequent swapping and tend to burn through oil unevenly, meaning one room is overpowering while another has gone flat. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2026

Plug-ins also create scent shock the moment someone walks in, since the device closest to the entry tends to overpower anything further inside. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2026

The overpowering scent of the corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum) is meant to trick carrion beetles and flies to visit and pollinate the flowers. — Kassia Bonesteel, CBS News, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for overpower

• candlepower
• cauliflower
• superpower
• vavasour
• waterpower
• airpower
• brainpower
• devour
• empower
• firepower
• horsepower
• manpower

Kids Definition

overpower

verb

over·​pow·​er ˌō-vər-ˈpau̇(-ə)r 

1

: to overcome by greater force : defeat

2

: overwhelm sense 2

overpowered by hunger

overpoweringly

-ˈpau̇r-iŋ-lē 

adverb