overwhelm
verb
Did you know?
Let’s face it: life can get overwhelming. A person might be overwhelmed by a sensory experience or emotion; a city might be overwhelmed by an influx of tourists. Things can underwhelm, too: a bland meal, a bare wall, a lackluster playlist. But how often does an experience just, well, whelm you? The answer, unassumingly, is just as often as one overwhelms you—the two verbs are in fact largely synonymous. Both come from Middle English whelmen, meaning "to overturn," and overwhelm has always been more popular, perhaps because the emphatic redundancy of overwhelm makes it seem more apt for describing reactions to powerful forces or feelings.
Examples of overwhelm in a Sentence
John Bacon, USA Today, 15 May 2025
Whatever the case, Indiana’s full-court pressure, physicality on the perimeter and timely shooting overwhelmed the Cavs at times and were enough to overcome early and late deficits at other points throughout the series.
—Joe Vardon, New York Times, 14 May 2025
This year, make the brilliant switch to floral jewelry including timeless investments in a variety of precious metals and stones that deliver just the right botanical punch without overwhelming your look.
—Pooja Shah, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Don’t: overwhelm yourself with guests who bring on the pressure.
—Ginger Perra, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
Cite this Entry
“Overwhelm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overwhelm. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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overwhelm
verb
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