as in dominating
the act or process of bringing someone or something under one's control
the overpowering of much of Europe by the Nazis during World War II
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in subduing
to bring under one's control by force of arms
the invading army overpowered the countryside with lightning speed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in overwhelming
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
overpowered by fear of the unknown
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in irresistible
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overpowering
Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
While Skenes made his MLB debut last year after only 12 overpowering minor-league starts, Waldrep was merely mortal in 46 outings in the Braves’ farm system.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Eos Fragrance Free Body Lotion Many body lotions have overpowering scents that can make anyone's eyes water.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 29 Aug. 2025
Rounding out the palette, chalky green trim (Paint & Paper Library Willow V) frames the room without overpowering it.
—Kathryn O'Shea-Evans, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2025
Snarky online spiel aside, this is actually a really nice shirt, with the bold red contrasting the off-white main body really nicely, without overpowering the whole shirt.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
The orchestra, faithfully recreating ABBA’s arrangements, can be a bit loud, at times overpowering the vocal performances, especially Amy Weaver’s.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025
This is a very smooth, drinkable wheat with low carbonation and just the right amount of orange sweetness without being overpowering.
—Gary Stoller, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Once in the body, CO molecules hijack your red blood cells, overpowering oxygen in the bloodstream and shutting off critical O2 supply to the brain, heart and other organs.
—New Atlas, 13 Aug. 2025
These sterling silver stunners look just as chic on their own, with a clean, mid-sized silhouette that delivers subtle impact without overpowering your look.
—Lauren Alexis Fisher, Footwear News, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
Etzel scored later on a wild pitch — but Tolle retired 15 straight batters after the leadoff hit to conclude his latest overpowering outing.
—Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
While Skenes made his MLB debut last year after only 12 overpowering minor-league starts, Waldrep was merely mortal in 46 outings in the Braves’ farm system.
—Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The interference has included both jamming—overpowering communications with strong radio signals—and spoofing, which tricks receivers into misreading their location or even the time.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025
Eos Fragrance Free Body Lotion Many body lotions have overpowering scents that can make anyone's eyes water.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 29 Aug. 2025
Rounding out the palette, chalky green trim (Paint & Paper Library Willow V) frames the room without overpowering it.
—Kathryn O'Shea-Evans, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2025
Snarky online spiel aside, this is actually a really nice shirt, with the bold red contrasting the off-white main body really nicely, without overpowering the whole shirt.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025
The orchestra, faithfully recreating ABBA’s arrangements, can be a bit loud, at times overpowering the vocal performances, especially Amy Weaver’s.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025
This is a very smooth, drinkable wheat with low carbonation and just the right amount of orange sweetness without being overpowering.
—Gary Stoller, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Once in the body, CO molecules hijack your red blood cells, overpowering oxygen in the bloodstream and shutting off critical O2 supply to the brain, heart and other organs.
—New Atlas, 13 Aug. 2025
These sterling silver stunners look just as chic on their own, with a clean, mid-sized silhouette that delivers subtle impact without overpowering your look.
—Lauren Alexis Fisher, Footwear News, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overpowering
Noun
-
One player dominating gets tedious very quickly; so does a string of one-time winners.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
With formats like RealD 3D, 4DX and IMAX 3D dominating premium exhibition, seven of the top ten new releases from May to July made a combined $222 million on 3D screens, or 13% of all tickets sold.—
Gregg Goldstein,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Giants won in all kinds of encouraging ways while subduing the wild-card-leading Cubs in a 5-2 victory Tuesday night.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The two also showed a demonstration of what a K9 takedown looks like, with Humphries acting as a target and K9 Bob subduing him.—
Richard Requena,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The lavender and orange blossom in Libre complement the floral elements in The Ivory perfectly, while adding a bit more projection and longevity without overwhelming the delicate marshmallow base.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
5 Sep. 2025
-
But the key to getting this look just right is to take a thoughtful approach — blend classic elements of the style in a way that resonates with your everyday living, and add some retro flair (without overwhelming yourself or your space).—
Shivani Vyas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
On the other hand, the Cracker Barrel debacle touched so many live wires of American politics that the story was simply irresistible.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The idea sticks because the prize, limitless energy from tabletop hardware, is irresistible, and suppression narratives explain away the lack of mainstream acceptance.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Now, Impacciatore will continue her conquest of America by inserting herself into an even more beloved national franchise.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The domestication of the horse was one of humanity’s great turning points, powering agriculture, trade, migration, and conquest.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Even after the company turned much of its attention towards other genres — conquering the planet with World of Warcraft — StarCraft 2 arrived in 2010 to critical and player acclaim.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
My mission in life is to empower leaders to cultivate inner mastery and empathy, knowing that true strength comes from conquering inner battles and developing a growth mindset.—
Dr. Adil Dalal,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Kahani’s work is of a piece with that of bigger-name compatriots like Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof in its protest against the Iranian government, though his droll-to-devastating approach is very much his own.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Additionally, deadly waves of violent extremism in places like Nigeria and India are devastating whole communities and going unchecked.—
Miles P. J. Windsor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Weaker unions mean workers have less influence over tax policy, leading to elite domination and faster profit growth in low-union companies.—
Teresa Ghilarducci,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
And without a strong political center, Japan will be less able to resist Chinese domination of Asia or sustain international cooperation on free economic exchange.—
Mireya Solís,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overpowering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overpowering. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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