OVER-POWER Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

overpower

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈpau̇(-ə)r

Definition of overpower

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

as in to overwhelm

to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress overpowered by fear of the unknown

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 overpower Still, there have been several infamous events when the weather overpowered people. — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 Then file into Center Parc Stadium to watch the rebuilding Bison get overpowered by Alabama A&M. — Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Cage and Cope were playing the de facto heels, overpowering an isolated Matt Jackson and mixing in quick tags. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Most Popular For Holey, skincare shouldn’t overpower the skin, but support it in regulating itself. — Bella Webb, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overpower

Recent Examples of Synonyms for overpower

Verb

As the President sat down to eat with the press corps, a would-be assassin stormed through a security checkpoint before being subdued by the Secret Service.

— Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
According to Tisch, Cisneros then waved her knives and began to advance on the officers, who attempted to subdue the woman with a Taser before employing lethal force.

— Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of subdue

Verb

College football’s perpetual punching bag for offensive woes overwhelmed Northern Illinois in every facet of a 40-0 victory, and that included a modest passing day from co-starters Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski.

— The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Too many simultaneous launches can overwhelm employees, customers and operations, even when each project is technically on track.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of overwhelm

Verb

That subjectivity and secrecy over how a winner is selected also builds suspense, particularly in the years that follow an era dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, where a deeper pool of candidates now swims.

— Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
If someone dominates the conversation, redirect attention to what the group is trying to accomplish.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of dominate

Verb

Augusto, Marrero, Hernández and countless others have little choice but to figure things out which, in Cuban parlance, means overcoming whatever obstacle is placed in their way.

— Juan Carlos López, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
McKee, 75, will also have to overcome simmering anger over a bridge repair project that has dragged on longer than expected.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of overcome

Verb

Until that point, Birmingham had looked dangerous, conquering the space vacated by City’s adventurous full-backs (in fact, Oceane Hurtre robbed a dithering Jade Rose on the edge of stoppage time for a consolation goal).

— Katie Whyatt, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Back then, Below Deck hadn’t yet launched in the Mediterranean, the Housewives hadn’t yet conquered Potomac, and there were no Traitors, Summer House, or Mormon Wives to speak of.

— Ali Barthwell, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of conquer

Verb

The conflict in Gaza has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and devastated the enclave.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Its interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former al-Qa’eda militant who led the rebel offensive that overthrew dictator Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, has been struggling to rebuild a nation devastated by almost 14 years of civil war.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of devastate

Verb

It is noted by one agent that, even though there are players Liverpool would happily have sold this summer and last, Hughes and his staff preferred to treat them respectfully rather than subject them to the ‘bomb squad’ treatment some clubs prefer.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
The beds can contain hundreds of blocks laid out in a grid, growing progressively deeper so an aircraft slows without subjecting the landing gear — or the people aboard — to extreme deceleration forces that can be deadly in a crash.

— Pete Muntean, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of subject

Verb

Steph Talbot scored 19 points as Australia defeated Puerto Rico 70-54 to get its campaign off to a winning start.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
The Leipzig scenes are both ephemeral and integral; later, Taro will speculate that if the Germans had had the same revolutionary zeal as the Spanish, Hitler might have been defeated.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of defeat

Browse Nearby Words

overpluses

overpower

overpowered

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Style

“Overpower.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overpower. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of overpower

verb

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