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
Relevance
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
In September 1984, Braddy escaped from custody three times, overpowering a Miami-Dade corrections officer and four Broward sheriff’s deputies, according to the Miami Herald’s archives.
—
Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
The sauce is flavorful and complementary without being overpowering and goopy.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 2026
Still, that overpowering silence after Sunday night’s final kick also offered a reminder of a league that makes no promises.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, or allspice can add depth without overpowering the chocolate, while a very light pinch of chili introduces gentle heat and complexity.
—Amber Love Bond, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overpower
Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2026
The sauce is flavorful and complementary without being overpowering and goopy.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 23 Jan. 2026
Still, that overpowering silence after Sunday night’s final kick also offered a reminder of a league that makes no promises.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, or allspice can add depth without overpowering the chocolate, while a very light pinch of chili introduces gentle heat and complexity.
—Amber Love Bond, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overpower
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overpower
Verb
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Colleyville Heritage dumps Argyle in 2 OTs Colleyville Heritage got a hugh lay in by Sameer Johnson at the fourth quarter buzzer, off an assist by Dmauri Evans, to tie the game at 48 allowing the Panthers to subdue Argyle 57-51 in double overtime on Thursday.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Jan. 2026
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Nevertheless, the immediate market response to the recent earnings report was relatively subdued.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Their great taste whispers, never overwhelming those around them, but rather enthralling.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
31 Jan. 2026
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The few hospitals still working were overwhelmed by casualties.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While some apps are experimental or low-effort, the approach mirrors the early days of iOS and Android app stores, where quirky and test apps dominated before the ecosystem matured.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Jan. 2026
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The opposition dominates for spells but struggles to bypass his strong defence.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Global Compassion Coalition says that the first step to overcoming helplessness is to practice acceptance instead of resistance, which is a hard pill to take at the moment.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
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One night after the Warriors snapped Minnesota's 103-game streak of scoring at least 100 points — the third-longest in NBA history — the Timberwolves overcame a cold start from the floor and 23 turnovers.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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One such case is this tense Oscar-winning doc about rock climber Alex Honnold and his determination to conquer the El Capitan rock formation at Yosemite National Park via free solo climb, which is to say, without any ropes to protect him.—
Ilana Gordon,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Feb. 2026
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His small band of Spaniards pulled off the impossible, and conquered the Mexica empire with alliances, superior technology and diseases.—
Brad Templeton,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Grand Canyon National Park is preparing to reopen portions of the North Rim after the Dragon Bravo Fire devastated the region last summer.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Through its Quds Force, the Guard backed regional groups including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis, but recent Israeli strikes have devastated its network.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Between 1995 and 2015, both publications—which have a combined circulation of some eighty thousand Canadian family doctors and pharmacists—regularly ran columns from the Motherisk team without subjecting them to peer review.—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
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While the Jacksonian program helped produce a massive depression, the Jacksonians’ intention was to accelerate capitalism by democratizing it, not to tame it by subjecting it to government planning.—
Walter Russell Mead,
The Atlantic,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch also spoke before his squad defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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These therapies are not universally successful, of course, but can often save lives and defeat cancers where other methods are unsuccessful.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overpower.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overpower. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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