overwhelming

1 of 2

adjective

over·​whelm·​ing ˌō-vər-ˈ(h)wel-miŋ 

: tending or serving to overwhelm

overwhelming force

overwhelming evidence

also : extreme, great

overwhelming indifference

an overwhelming majority

overwhelming

2 of 2

present participle of overwhelm

Examples of overwhelming in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The overwhelming majority of men and women will never hurt anyone. — Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026

With homes nearly toppling into the ocean and back-to-back floods and hurricanes amplifying our sense of dread, keeping track of all things El Niño can be overwhelming. — Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Republicans were slightly more inclined to approve, with 34 percent arguing it should be livestreamed, but even there, an overwhelming 64 percent disagreed. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 15 Oct. 2026

That move could work well in a state with an overwhelming Republican majority, said Bob Beatty, a political scientist at Washburn University. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1567, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

overwhelming

adjective

over·​whelm·​ing ˌō-vər-ˈhwel-miŋ 

-wel-

: great sense 4, extreme

an overwhelming response

overwhelmingly adverb