overwhelmed 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of overwhelmednext
as in bewildered

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

overwhelmed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of overwhelm
1
as in devastated
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress just the thought of how much work there is to do overwhelms me

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in flooded
to cover with a flood that spring the massive runoff from melting snows overwhelmed the valley

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of overwhelmed
Adjective
Newport Institute frames it as a low barrier mental health entry point, not a substitute for therapy but an easy first step for anyone feeling overwhelmed by constant urgency. — Allison Palmer july 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026 Instead, spreading out tasks and to-dos will make everyone feel less overwhelmed. — Melissa Willets, Parents, 6 July 2026
Verb
Goldstein was comatose and had been placed on a ventilator after pneumonia overwhelmed her lungs. — John Blake, CNN Money, 5 July 2026 Investigators said the vessel attempted to return to shore as the weather worsened but was overwhelmed by the storm. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for overwhelmed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelmed
  1. bewildered
  2. devastated
  3. flooded
  4. staggered
  5. overcame
  6. engulfed
  7. stunned
  8. crushed
Adjective
  • Away from the bewildered rancher calling out in surprise, away from the Appaloosa.
    — Emily Ruskovich, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
  • Massachusetts State Police ushered thousands of bewildered attendees into the tunnel.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026
Definition of bewildered
Verb
  • Money is tight, especially since a plague has devastated the coffee harvest and destroyed the livelihoods of Miguel’s parents, Pino (Luis Alberti) and Teresa (Fátima Molina).
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 July 2026
  • The luxury shopping center in Pacific Palisades will reopen next month after more than $100 million in renovations forced by the January 2025 wildfire that devastated the Los Angeles neighborhood.
    — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of devastated
Verb
  • Graphic videos of the shooting flooded social media and politicians on both sides of the aisle condemned the killing – one example of the political violence roiling America in recent years.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • The pipes had clogged and the room was flooded with sewage coming up a drain.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of flooded
Adjective
  • During the past decade, underwriters have pushed buzzy tech companies into adopting more staggered or shortened release dates for insiders to sell their shares, some even contingent on earnings or stock-price increases to dampen the flow.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 3 July 2026
  • Against a team of higher quality, Portugal were less able to prevent Colombia from building through the pitch, with a staggered front three in their defensive shape as Vitinha and Ruben Neves went man-for-man in the middle.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of staggered
Verb
  • Jude Bellingham scored twice in a two-minute span to give England a 2-0 lead, Mexico rallied, Kane scored the go-ahead goal on a penalty kick and England overcame a Jarell Quansah red card, playing the final 48 minutes a man down.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026
  • Pitching in the rotation spot vacated when Randy Vásquez went on the IL with a right ankle bruise, Márquez overcame a 31-pitch first inning and was able to walk off the mound four innings later pumping his fist after throwing just 51 more.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026
Definition of overcame
Verb
  • Platner's withdrawal caps days of turmoil that had engulfed his campaign and intensifies pressure on Democratic leaders to quickly coalesce around an alternative candidate.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 9 July 2026
  • After the crash, the motorcycle caught fire and was engulfed in flames, police said.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
Definition of engulfed
Adjective
  • Then, in a span of just 13 remarkable minutes, Argentina scored not once, not twice, but three times, capping a comeback for the ages and leaving Egypt stunned and shellshocked.
    — Jasmine Garsd, NPR, 7 July 2026
  • From there, Argentina appeared stunned but pressed forward to climb out of a massive hole with only minutes remaining.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
Definition of stunned
Verb
  • The physical danger from robot coworkers has been made clear since January 25, 1979, when 25-year-old Robert Nicholas Williams was crushed and killed by a 1-ton robotic vehicle’s arm inside a Ford Motor Company factory in Flat Rock, Michigan.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 7 July 2026
  • That was another reason for the high hopes that crushed this team instead of lifting it.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
Definition of crushed

Browse Nearby Words

overwhelm
overwhelmed
overwhelming
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overwhelmed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelmed. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on overwhelmed

Nglish: Translation of overwhelmed for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All