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

To date, eight bills to recognize the tribe have passed both the State Assembly and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, only to be vetoed by Democratic Govs. — Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026

If the process becomes overwhelming, a reputable data removal service can help with the ongoing work. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026

The overwhelming problem of plastic From flax that can be used in clothing and cars to robotic skimmers to stricter laws, determined researchers, activists and volunteers fight an industry intent on making more plastic. — Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026

History hasn’t exactly been kind to overwhelming preseason favorites. — Andy Scholes, CNN Money, 22 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