overwhelm

verb

over·​whelm ˌō-vər-ˈ(h)welm 

overwhelmed; overwhelming; overwhelms

transitive verb

1

: upset, overthrow

The tornado overwhelmed many mobile homes.

2

a

: to cover over completely : submerge

The city was overwhelmed by the flooding caused by the hurricane.

b

: to overcome by superior force or numbers

The city was overwhelmed by the invading army.

c

: to overpower in thought or feeling

overwhelmed with grief

overwhelmed by terror

A sense of inadequacy overwhelmed me.

overwhelmed with guilt

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.

Synonyms of overwhelm

• overcome
• devastate
• crush

Examples of overwhelm in a Sentence

Don't overwhelm him with facts.

They were overwhelmed with work.

The city was overwhelmed by the invading army.

Recent Examples on the Web

Images of hospitals overwhelmed with the sick and dying flooded our consciousness. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026

These had worked adequately for isolated farmers, but too many could overwhelm the absorptive capacity of the ground—especially if sprinklers were watering the lawns—causing effluent to rise to the surface or enter waterways. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

Stewart never took her foot off the gas, overwhelming the Lynx on drives, jumpers and post play that accounted for finishes and shots at the free throw line. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 27 Sep. 2026

Hospitals are overwhelmed by wounded patients, while shortages of medicine, fuel and staff force some facilities to close or turn away pregnant women and other patients. — Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from over entry 1 + whelmen to turn over, cover up

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for overwhelm

• elm
• helm
• realm

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

overwhelm

verb

over·​whelm ˌō-vər-ˈhwelm 

-ˈwelm

1

: to cover over completely : submerge

a boat overwhelmed by a wave

2

: to overcome completely : crush

overwhelmed by grief