overwhelmed

adjective

over·​whelmed ˌō-vər-ˈ(h)welmd 

1

: overcome by force or numbers

Some jurisdictions are so overwhelmed that they are experimenting with routing school-children into specially designed courts that would keep first-time offenders from being saddled with an arrest record.

—Gary Fields and John R. Emshwiller

Only three Coast Guard rescue helicopters had managed to get into the air, and each was already overwhelmed by dozens of calls for help.

—Christopher Cooper and Robert Block

"We were overwhelmed," said John Robinson, the Rams' coach. "Clearly dominated."

—Paul Zimmerman

2

: completely overcome or overpowered by thought or feeling

When he first appeared in full regalia, I was overwhelmed.

—Jane Davison

Suddenly he felt overwhelmed by a wash of terror.

—Holly Black

He finds that the institutions that might compensate for what overwhelmed parents are unable to do are themselves undermined by stingy public policies.

—Lisbeth B. Schorr

Examples of overwhelmed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If you are overwhelmed by a thick liquid formula, celebrity makeup artist Pircilla Pae says to place the product on the back of your hand or a makeup palette and thinly apply it using a lip brush. —Kate Watson, Peoplemag, 12 June 2024

The impact reached into Texas and other southern states, when residents cranked their heat and overwhelmed power generators. —Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 12 June 2024

The few police officers on duty were quickly overwhelmed, and the violence continued for three hours until authorities finally brought the situation under control. —Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2024

When there’s a big incident that triggers a wave of cancellations — 9/11, a pandemic or an armed conflict — an airline will get overwhelmed with cancellation and refund requests. —Christopher Elliott, King Features Syndicate, The Mercury News, 3 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1