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

Carolina kept pace in some regards but was overwhelmed in others. —Sean Gentille, New York Times, 28 May 2026

During this period, temperatures in many parts of the country haven't climbed high enough to trigger widespread AC emergencies, meaning HVAC companies are typically less overwhelmed with service calls and urgent replacements. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 28 May 2026

But avoiding the topic often leaves families overwhelmed and scrambling when the time comes to start making decisions on everything from medical care to aftercare. —Kelsey Monstrola, USA Today, 28 May 2026

Agencies are overwhelmed and underperforming. —Harlem Capital, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1