1
as in to subdue
to bring under one's control by force of arms
the invading army overpowered the countryside with lightning speed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to overwhelm
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
overpowered by fear of the unknown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overpower
At one point, defense lawyers say, Alcala was able to temporarily overpower one of his assailants before he was fatally shot.
—
Sean Emery, Oc Register, 16 Sep. 2025
Soon after the battle starts, Hekate and her mother are forced to flee their home as the Olympians overpower and enslave the Titans, including Hekate’s father, Perses, and impose their power over the universe.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
Rayan Ait-Nouri struggled against Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh, who overpowered the left-back with his physicality.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Fox’s coverage featured its A-tier battery of Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady calling the action as the Giants were overpowered by the Commanders, plus five other regional pairings.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overpower
Sean Emery, Oc Register, 16 Sep. 2025
Soon after the battle starts, Hekate and her mother are forced to flee their home as the Olympians overpower and enslave the Titans, including Hekate’s father, Perses, and impose their power over the universe.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
Rayan Ait-Nouri struggled against Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh, who overpowered the left-back with his physicality.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Fox’s coverage featured its A-tier battery of Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady calling the action as the Giants were overpowered by the Commanders, plus five other regional pairings.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for overpower
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overpower
Verb
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The color palette is subdued, with black and brown as the foundational shades and a burgundy, which is the fall seasonal color.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
22 Sep. 2025
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His selfless act allowed classmates to subdue the attackers and prevented what could have been a much larger tragedy.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But courts were overwhelmed by a flood of asylum seekers—a long-standing systemic shortage exacerbated by Biden’s inclusive policies.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
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And the first-half performance in Seville, as Postecoglou’s side overwhelmed a very strong Real Betis, was enough to prompt a huge sense of positivity.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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One flashy claim can dominate the conversation, and in the social media era, sensationalism is amplified.—
Adam Frank,
Big Think,
25 Sep. 2025
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The edgy vibe of side braids is a natural departure from the more flowy, feminine styles that usually dominate in the summer (like boho braids).—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But to restore the city’s community gathering place, Sunrise Mall must overcome a wary economy and consumers’ disinterest in brick-and-mortar retail.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
25 Sep. 2025
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In the 2023 season, however, the Panthers stunned the Eagles in a regional semifinal playoff game, overcoming a 10-point deficit in the final five minutes.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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To put it into perspective, the structure of Hades II necessitates that players conquer both routes of its story, and multiple times at that to reach the true ending.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
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In an attempt to help the elementary schooler conquer his fears, Gee picked him up and tossed him into the water below.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Her journey has brought her to Cloonboo, a town devastated by the Great Famine that ravaged the land between 1845 and 1852.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
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Related Stories Fans were devastated to hear that Cavill was not going to continue with the series.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Echoing his testimony from the third week of Combs’ New York trial, Nash says Combs also subjected him to violent physical assaults.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
24 Sep. 2025
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Since the start of Russia’s invasion in 2022, Putin has been transparent about his objective—the destruction of Ukraine as an independent nation—and has subjected many people to almost unimaginable suffering in order to achieve it.—
ANDRIY ZAGORODNYUK,
Foreign Affairs,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The junior quarterback went 5-for-8 passing with 146 yards, while adding 59 yards rushing to go with three total touchdowns as Springfield Central defeated a Catholic Conference nemesis, 28-20.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
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Cleopatra was born in Alexandria in 69 BC, crowned queen at the age of 18 and died in 30 BC after being defeated by Octavian, also known as Emperor Augustus and the founder of the Roman Empire, during the Battle of Actium in 31 BC.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overpower.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overpower. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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