overwhelmed

adjective

over·​whelmed ˌō-vər-ˈ(h)welmd 

1

: overcome by force or numbers

Some jurisdictions are so overwhelmed that they are experimenting with routing school-children into specially designed courts that would keep first-time offenders from being saddled with an arrest record.

—Gary Fields and John R. Emshwiller

Only three Coast Guard rescue helicopters had managed to get into the air, and each was already overwhelmed by dozens of calls for help.

—Christopher Cooper and Robert Block

"We were overwhelmed," said John Robinson, the Rams' coach. "Clearly dominated."

—Paul Zimmerman

2

: completely overcome or overpowered by thought or feeling

When he first appeared in full regalia, I was overwhelmed.

—Jane Davison

Suddenly he felt overwhelmed by a wash of terror.

—Holly Black

He finds that the institutions that might compensate for what overwhelmed parents are unable to do are themselves undermined by stingy public policies.

—Lisbeth B. Schorr

Examples of overwhelmed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The loyalty programs that win will make consumers feel smart, not overwhelmed. — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Torrents overwhelmed infrastructure, cutting power to tens of thousands of homes, flooding about 170 houses and blocking roads, while a landslide hit Togane and muddy water inundated cars and railway tracks. — Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Separating students from those pressures for several hours could encourage face-to-face conversation and give overwhelmed teenagers a genuine break. — Kavin Bendre, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026

For parents who feel overwhelmed by the cost of college, Jeanice understands the feeling. — Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1