overwhelming

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

Examples of overwhelming in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The volume has more than tripled since 2022, overwhelming customs authorities and intensifying complaints from European retailers. —Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 13 Dec. 2025

And an overwhelming 92% majority expect net cash earnings, including government payments, for crop farmers to be lower during the fall and winter than a year earlier. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Dec. 2025

Seeing how many people watched it, shared it and left such kind comments has been completely overwhelming — in the best way. —Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025

The overwhelming no vote, despite Republicans having a supermajority in the state Senate, capped off a bitter state fight for control that has spurred violent threats, doxxing incidents, nasty name-calling, and has changed the political landscape ahead of next year’s midterm elections. —Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 12 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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