overwhelmed 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of overwhelmednext
as in bewildered

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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
Rising costs, debt and constant comparisons on social media can make people feel overwhelmed and trapped. — Joshua Sidorowicz, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 Payments to these gangs in drugs developed local markets that further increased the violence, and the authorities felt overwhelmed. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
Excessive false positives also overwhelmed the human moderators trying to detect dangerous accounts. — Vicky Nguyen, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026 But that boom eventually faded, overwhelmed by larger forces including the rise of the regulatory state and increasingly generous government bailouts. — Ruchir Sharma, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 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
  • They were soon surrounded by a crowd of about 1,000 bewildered villagers, who alerted forest officials patrolling nearby.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
  • What appears before the bewildered trio is a boy with a face resembling a frog’s, named Fūsuke.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of bewildered
Verb
  • Iran’s military has been devastated by American attacks, but the Iranian forces have continued to launch missiles, drones and naval operations to inflict damage in the region.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
  • At home, the United States had defeated their armies, destroyed their infrastructure, retaken their territory, emancipated their enslaved, and devastated their economy and society into a catastrophic mess.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of devastated
Verb
  • The grand staircase was covered in 6 inches of ice and the basement was flooded with 4 feet of water.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • While outside spending in support of Paxton has flooded the Texas airwaves with ads, Talarico's campaign itself has outpaced Paxton's in fundraising from donors eager for Texas to forgo its solidly Republican title.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of flooded
Adjective
  • Still, suppliers said the staggered schedule alone doesn’t account for the weaker demand.
    — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Two years later, Haitians were supposed to return to the polls to elect another tier of the staggered chamber along with lawmakers in the 119-member Lower Chamber of Deputies.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of staggered
Verb
  • Kaprizov and Hartman scored in the third period as Minnesota overcame a 3-1 deficit to force overtime.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Craig overcame being sacked four times and the run game producing just 33 yards to lead TCU to the massive victory, as the Horned Frogs scored multiple touchdowns against a Power Four conference opponent for the first time this season.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of overcame
Verb
  • In 2024, the main nationwide entrance examination for medical schools was engulfed in controversy over a slew of irregularities, including the advance leak of the exam’s questions.
    — Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
  • These poignant and revealing journals cover the years after the financial disaster that engulfed Scott.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of engulfed
Adjective
  • In front of a stunned Dodgers Stadium, the Brewers fought back on Thursday from an early 4-0 deficit.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
  • It was released as the third of the three-pack of new albums Drake dropped to stunned audiences this May.
    — Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of stunned
Verb
  • At a Franprix on Rue Beaurepaire near Place de la République, shelves were emptied and products were either stolen or crushed on the floor.
    — Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • When the stars of some of his early shorts reacted unfavorably, he was crushed.
    — Alex Barasch, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of crushed

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Cite this Entry

“Overwhelmed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelmed. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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