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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overwhelm
Thursday’s attack on Moscow – the biggest since the start of the full-scale war – was yet another example of how Ukraine’s strategy to overwhelm Russian air defenses with drones appears to have found success.
—
Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN Money, 19 June 2026
In these cases, heavy-duty chemical cleaners can overwhelm a fabric, leaving stains of their own, while gentle dish soap can produce excessive suds without eliminating the substance.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 18 June 2026
Knicks fans nearly overwhelmed it before the floats arrived.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 18 June 2026
The bold geometric pattern on Baina’s pool towels feels graphic without overwhelming the eye.
—Nina Derwin, Architectural Digest, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN Money, 19 June 2026
In these cases, heavy-duty chemical cleaners can overwhelm a fabric, leaving stains of their own, while gentle dish soap can produce excessive suds without eliminating the substance.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 18 June 2026
Knicks fans nearly overwhelmed it before the floats arrived.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 18 June 2026
The bold geometric pattern on Baina’s pool towels feels graphic without overwhelming the eye.
—Nina Derwin, Architectural Digest, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelm
Verb
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The Bulldogs fell behind 3-0 in the first and could not overcome the early deficit thanks to the efforts of OU starting pitcher Xander Mercurius’ 7 1/3 quality innings pitched.—
Hunter DeLauder,
AJC.com,
16 June 2026
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Chasing atomic limits To overcome that challenge, the KAIST team relied on first-principles calculations, a computational approach that predicts material behavior using the laws of physics rather than experimental data.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
16 June 2026
Verb
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The fire engulfed approximately 8,600 square feet of the cathedral’s roof before being extinguished by local firefighters.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
15 June 2026
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Emergency personnel learned from a caller that the plane was engulfed in flames and was in a field near the regional airport.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Verb
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At the same time, agriculture is one of the sectors most threatened by climate change, with rising temperatures set to devastate food crops around the world.—
Jasmin Sykes,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
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Our entire family is devastated by this great loss.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Craciun urged folks to flood the committee and Petrie-Norris’ office with calls and letters demanding action.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
21 June 2026
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People flooded the comment section with offers to help.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
Verb
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After Mexico suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat to Sweden, their hopes of advancing hinged on South Korea’s team pulling off an unlikely victory over Germany.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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Suddenly, a driver is faced with the possibility of being crushed by a mammal the size of a grand piano—and its massive antlers.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
18 June 2026
Verb
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As Vermax struggles to stay above water and begins to drown, Jace frees himself from his mount and reaches the surface.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
22 June 2026
-
French media reported that four children drowned Saturday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overwhelm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelm. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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