overpowers

verb

present tense third-person singular of overpower
1
as in dominates
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 overwhelms
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 overpowers Jean overpowers their restraints and creates a gigantic psychic bubble that freezes in place nearly everyone in New York City. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 31 July 2026 Natalie reaches for a knife in the kitchen before Max overpowers her. — Jp Mangalindan, Time, 31 July 2026 Kara ultimately overpowers Krem and secures the antidote in time to save Krypto, but the emotional climax belongs to Ruthye. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026 Go for a subtle scent that catches in the breeze rather than overpowers the senses. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 May 2026 However, the unique culture of our city often overpowers these inhibitions, and the sight of NYPD officers patrolling as modern-day knights on horseback is a reassuring testament to that strength. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2026 That’s because the Athletics are scheduled to start Luis Severino, who overpowers righties. — Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026 At 6-4, Kone is a bouncy wing who overpowers defenders with brute strength and agile footwork. — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026 But a dollop of ’95 alt-rock sweetness almost overpowers it. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overpowers
  1. dominates
  2. overwhelms
  3. subdues
  4. overcomes
  5. conquers
  6. devastates
  7. subjects
  8. defeats
Verb
  • Often described as Russia's answer to Amazon, Wildberries dominates domestic ecommerce, delivering everything from apparel and electronics to groceries and household goods across the country's vast geography.
    — Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • This is all as its Absolute imprint dominates sales, buzz, and accolades.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 27 July 2026
Definition of dominates
Verb
  • And yet, in Yoon’s hands, a character’s suffering never overwhelms their capacity for tenderness.
    — Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
  • One person has died and rescues are underway as catastrophic flooding overwhelms the Hill Country, a little more than a year after the July 4 floods killed more than 130 people in Central Texas.
    — Mary Ella Hastings July 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
Definition of overwhelms
Verb
  • In person, Huang subdues his ironic braggadocio with polite eye contact and rolling belly laughs at his own jokes.
    — Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • El Nino also subdues the hurricane season in the Atlantic because there is so much heat in the Pacific that outcompetes the Atlantic, Berardelli added.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 May 2026
Definition of subdues
Verb
  • David overcomes Goliath while Odysseus defeats the cyclops Polyphemus.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Mikel Oyarzabal has four goals, so could yet challenge if Spain overcomes France in the semifinals.
    — James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of overcomes
Verb
  • Iceman appears on four Billboard charts this week and conquers two of them.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • That doesn’t mean robbing Billy of his shot at prying open Homelander’s skull, but with only a symbolic solution to Trump’s authoritarian rise — love conquers all!
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 May 2026
Definition of conquers
Verb
  • The breakup devastates both Charlie and Nick, who both resist their respective urges to reach out to one another, and Elle, Tao and Isaac Henderson (Tobie Donovan) come to Charlie’s home to look after him post-split.
    — Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
  • So when the dog is lost in a severe storm that devastates the region and leaves many homeless, an overwhelmed Rose must balance the urgency of her search mission alongside the misfortune of others close to her.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 June 2026
Definition of devastates
Verb
  • Then founder and master distiller Joe McGirr subjects his spirit to a vapor chamber chockablock with even more juniper.
    — Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • This allows cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and no longer arbitrarily subjects them to traffic control measures designed for other types of vehicles.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026
Definition of subjects
Verb
  • Replacing lead-acid with a much lighter battery can require adding weight back into the vehicle, which defeats part of the purpose.
    — Darren Tan, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Costly defeats If past is prologue, Democratic insiders are right to be concerned.
    — David M. Drucker, Mercury News, 15 July 2026
Definition of defeats

Browse Nearby Words

overpowering
overpowers
overpraise
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Cite this Entry

“Overpowers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overpowers. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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