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
Loads of money has been spent but United aren’t overpowered in any part of the pitch.
—
Carl Anka, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Sweet bread and butter pickles, or other pickles that use too much garlic or other seasonings, might overpower the balance of acidity (lemon), sweetness (sugar) and saltiness (pickle brine).
—Ashia Aubourg, Outside Online, 5 July 2025
This Superman feels powerful without being overpowered, strong-willed, and just capable enough to tackle the obstacles that Lex Luthor is constantly throwing at him.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
It’s bottled at cask strength of 109.3 proof, which is high but not overpowering.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for overpower
Carl Anka, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Sweet bread and butter pickles, or other pickles that use too much garlic or other seasonings, might overpower the balance of acidity (lemon), sweetness (sugar) and saltiness (pickle brine).
—Ashia Aubourg, Outside Online, 5 July 2025
This Superman feels powerful without being overpowered, strong-willed, and just capable enough to tackle the obstacles that Lex Luthor is constantly throwing at him.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
It’s bottled at cask strength of 109.3 proof, which is high but not overpowering.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for overpower
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overpower
Verb
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Along with other bystanders, Perry helped subdue the perpetrator, whom officials identified as 42-year-old Bradford James Gille.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
29 July 2025
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The stabbing rampage that took place Saturday, July 26, left 11 people injured before onlookers, one of them apparently armed with a handgun, subdued the suspect in the parking lot outside the store just before police arrived, police said.—
Clara Hendrickson,
Freep.com,
29 July 2025
Verb
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In greater numbers than ever, children hollowed up by hunger are overwhelming the Patient’s Friends Hospital, the main emergency center for malnourished kids in northern Gaza.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Chicago Tribune,
25 July 2025
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With no hemming required, each one of these matching sets won’t drag on the floor or overwhelm your small frame.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 July 2025
Verb
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What a confusing year for these Fever, from Clark’s three different soft tissue injuries to DeWanna Bonner’s troubled stint to … dominating the Commissioner’s Cup final, against the Minnesota Lynx no less?—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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While banks dominate credit provision in Asia far more than in Western markets — accounting for about 79% of lending compared with 54% in Europe and just 33% in the U.S., according to investment firm KKR — that dynamic is shifting.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
24 July 2025
Verb
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The Austin district relied heavily on contractors to overcome its chronic backlog of evaluation requests.—
Keri Heath,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
29 July 2025
Verb
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps is conquering around $23 million in previews tonight that began at 2 p.m..—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
25 July 2025
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Advocates can postulate that, absent the resolve of the United States to fight in Vietnam, even in a losing cause, the Soviet Union and China would have been emboldened to invade and conquer America, Western Europe and Japan, writing an epitaph for freedom.—
Bruce Fein,
Baltimore Sun,
24 July 2025
Verb
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Not only has its air defense infrastructure suffered badly in the confrontations with Israel, but its regional proxies and allies – Hamas, Hezbollah and the Assad regime in Syria – have either been devastated by Israel or collapsed altogether.—
Linggong Kong,
The Conversation,
22 July 2025
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Today, disaster seekers pack tours through New Orleans neighborhoods devastated by Hurricane Katrina two decades ago, and visitors continue to flock to Galveston to see the legacy of a hurricane that killed thousands more than a century earlier.—
Lila Hempel-Edgers
July 22,
Charlotte Observer,
22 July 2025
Verb
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The panel had previously considered a version that would have subjected all housing developments to this appeals board.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
21 July 2025
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Two things can be true: Doctors are responsible for keeping mom and baby safe during a C-section and also for not subjecting any patient to avoidable torment.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
16 July 2025
Verb
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As a fighting force, Hezbollah, the most powerful of Tehran’s proxy forces since 1982, was defeated.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
28 July 2025
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But how will the Four defeat an almost godlike being, even with their impressive superpowers?—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overpower.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overpower. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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