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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 Like others, the facility was overwhelmed by the war-wounded. — Mark Osborne, CBS News, 25 Sep. 2026 But Mills says the allure of getting a bill across the finish line can too often overwhelm better judgment. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 24 Sep. 2026 Swap in a flush-mount or semi-flush fixture that adds presence without overwhelming the entryway. — Natasha Bazika, Martha Stewart, 24 Sep. 2026 Multiple cities in Broward County reported rain overwhelming their sewage systems. — Alex Harris updated September 23, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 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
  • Social and playful 694 faces Katmai Brady Bunch member 620, while two bears that overcame incredible odds, 610 and 89 (Backpack), vie for votes in the other first round fight.
    — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 25 Sep. 2026
  • At a meeting of the group's board, the governors unveiled a 66-project blueprint to get things started while acknowledging enormous hurdles that must still be overcome.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of overcome
Verb
  • Video released Wednesday morning captured the moments when a Kansas City Police Department detective and a Clay County Sheriff’s deputy rescued a man from a pickup truck that was engulfed in flames.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026
  • His moves have led to hopes of eventual stability in a country that was wracked by civil war and the Islamic State insurgency that engulfed northeast and western Iraq for years.
    — Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of engulf
Verb
  • The region has already been saturated by heavy rain over the past months, and regions like New Mexico and Grand Canyon were hit by devastating floods earlier this month.
    — Megan Janetsky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Palestinian farmer Saad Nemer of Fasayil said the water being cut off has devastated his fields, adding that his family has documents that prove ownership of the land.
    — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of devastate
Verb
  • Images of hospitals overwhelmed with the sick and dying flooded our consciousness.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • While flooding itself will not be expected across a wide area, the opportunity for strong flood events does look elevated for the state starting in December.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of flood
Verb
  • Meanwhile, local Church leaders hope the pope's visit will repair the Church's standing after a crushing 2021 report found that some 330,000 French children had been abused by Catholic clergy and lay leaders over seven decades.
    — Joshua McElwee, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The blast shattered windows, damaged a nearby church and crushed parked cars; officials had not determined the cause, though local reports pointed to a possible gas leak.
    — Lefteris Pitarakis, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of crush
Verb
  • In forensic parlance, a diagnosis of exclusion is one reached by ruling out other plausible causes; drowning can be challenging to prove, because often there’s no telltale sign that one occurred.
    — Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Meadows’ death certificate later listed his cause of death as drowning with probable hypothermia.
    — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 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 1 Oct. 2026.

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