overwhelm

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈ(h)welm How to pronounce overwhelm (audio)
Definition of overwhelmnext
1
as in to overcome
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress just the thought of how much work there is to do overwhelms me

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to engulf
to cover with a flood that spring the massive runoff from melting snows overwhelmed the valley

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 overwhelm Other combinations compete for attention or overwhelm each other. — Kent Merrell, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026 The new album appears designed to tease, coax and overwhelm the listener. — Ernesto Lechner, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026 Most doses were in the 5- to 10-mg range, a standard dose for casual marijuana users, though high-potency brands with 50, 60, and even 100 mg of THC — intense amounts likely to overwhelm all but heavy users — were also easy to find. — Sarah Todd, STAT, 21 July 2026 The vulnerability in Iraq’s approach The challenge is whether Iraq can convert this connectivity into national advantage without allowing external competition to overwhelm government decision-making. — John Calabrese, The Conversation, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelm
  1. overcome
  2. engulf
  3. devastate
  4. flood
  5. crush
  6. drown
Verb
  • Democrats have been struggling to overcome disarray in other messy primaries across this year’s midterm calendar.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
  • Ding said optical interconnects are becoming essential for overcoming the scalability limits of conventional server architectures.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026
Definition of overcome
Verb
  • Clark Forrest is a local weatherman who becomes absorbed in the crises engulfing his new friend Floyd Smernitch, the station’s sign-language interpreter.
    — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 July 2026
  • Regional sports networks have been engulfed by uncertainty for several years, so that was not a surprising development, and the Blues had been planning for the possibility.
    — Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of engulf
Verb
  • We are devastated to learn of the passing of Kevin Keegan, one of the most iconic, influential and deeply loved figures in our club’s history.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • Recently, Rodríguez was photographed in a once-unthinkable meeting with uniformed IDF brass overseeing Israeli rescue efforts in the wake of two powerful earthquakes that have devastated Venezuela’s coastal region.
    — Larry Luxner, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2026
Definition of devastate
Verb
  • Businesses that had never flooded before were suddenly underwater.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • At some point in the mid-1850s, the river Padma suddenly carved a new path through the village of his ancestors in modern-day Bangladesh, flooding their homes and scattering them across the Indian subcontinent.
    — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
Definition of flood
Verb
  • France and England are both coming off crushing losses in the World Cup semifinals.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
  • The Oscar nominee stars as Wat Tyler, an ordinary peasant who steps up to lead an extraordinary fight against King Richard II after crushing taxes and political oppression push the country’s working class to a breaking point.
    — Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 16 July 2026
Definition of crush
Verb
  • When Rodri collected his Golden Ball award, having been voted player of the tournament, the Argentina supporters drowned it out with chants for Messi.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • But they were outnumbered three or four to one by Argentina fans, who drowned them out with long flat roars whenever their team repelled a Spanish shot, or bundled a player off the pitch.
    — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Definition of drown

Browse Nearby Words

overweights
overwhelm
overwhelmed
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Cite this Entry

“Overwhelm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelm. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on overwhelm

Nglish: Translation of overwhelm for Spanish Speakers

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