1
as in overpowering
Related Words
Relevance
2
as in crushing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
3
as in staggering
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in devastating
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 flooding
to cover with a flood
that spring the massive runoff from melting snows overwhelmed the valley
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overwhelming
Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Certain tones and textures can make a bathroom feel heavy, overwhelming, or harder to maintain.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 2026
Try to create an ongoing supportive dialogue about their feelings and offer them an open invitation to come talk to you when their emotions are overwhelming them.
—Laura Wheatman Hill, Parents, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelming
Adjective
The Nuggets won 116-105 to take the series lead and become an even more overwhelming favorite to advance.
—Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Certain tones and textures can make a bathroom feel heavy, overwhelming, or harder to maintain.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
Think of it like a blender—feed scraps in slowly to avoid overwhelming the system.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 12 Apr. 2026
Try to create an ongoing supportive dialogue about their feelings and offer them an open invitation to come talk to you when their emotions are overwhelming them.
—Laura Wheatman Hill, Parents, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelming
Adjective
-
The Elden Ring sets are looking very real in a way that summons an overpowering urge to replay a game that takes 400 hours to get through.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Once any chemical smells are gone, a lightly scented candle or diffuser adds a nice touch without being too overpowering.—
Kate Donovan,
Martha Stewart,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And that makes his collapse all the more crushing.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Even the laughs and smiles that Joe and Kate Keller issue are fleeting, a respite from the journey toward a more crushing reality.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Fuqua’s focus is on the music, with songwriting, video production and choreography scenes, and full-length live performances tackled with staggering precision by Jaafar Jackson, who also sensitively delivers Michael’s repressed anguish in confrontational scenes with his father.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The destruction was staggering — but the detail from this story that deserves your attention is what happened next.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
House Republicans approved the resolution last month despite conservationists’ warnings that the move would lead to devastating pollution in one of the country’s last remaining wild areas.—
Todd Richmond,
Twin Cities,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Two tornadoes ripped through west Michigan on April 14, devastating a family dairy farm in Fenick, releasing hundreds of cows and leaving thousands without power.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Then the Secret Service and every detail came flooding in and everybody went down.—
Calvin Woodward,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Pittsburgh had 16 prospects attend in person, but the real stars were the fans flooding the North Shore and Point State Park.—
Dan Zaksheske OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But the urge to find a more dramatic story in it seems irresistible.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
-
But the effervescent stage show, from creator Cinco Paul and director-choreographer Christoper Gattelli, is all but irresistible — a giddy love letter to the form that’s enough to turn even the most skeptical curmudgeon into a walking heart-eye emoji.—
Naveen Kumar,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Ultimately, this will mean more encampments, more preventable deaths in the streets, and more individuals and families with no other option but to live in unsafe and unacceptable conditions.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Not ready for prime time Amazon’s Prime Video losing its feed in overtime of the Charlotte Hornets-Miami Heat play-in game was unacceptable for a streaming network that deems itself big time.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Charlotte is a stupendous city.—
Andre James,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Apr. 2026
-
But his epic project is a stupendous, oceanfront complex in Palm Beach.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overwhelming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelming. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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