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
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Recent Examples of overwhelm
The scope of the catastrophe quickly overwhelmed a country of 28 million battered by years of economic crisis and political tumult.
—
Mery Mogollón,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
Shami, overwhelmed with grief, was taken to the maternity ward to be monitored, with doctors worried about her and the baby.
—
Ruth Sherlock,
NPR,
26 June 2026
Lightly water the soil with a spray bottle to not overwhelm the seeds.
—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
26 June 2026
The mix runs almost dangerously hot, bruising kicks and red-lining riffs threatening to overwhelm the whole thing, and the sounds of revving engines at the beginning of most tracks underscore the sensation that we are gathered here today to burn rubber.
—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
Mery Mogollón,
Los Angeles Times,
26 June 2026
Shami, overwhelmed with grief, was taken to the maternity ward to be monitored, with doctors worried about her and the baby.
—
Ruth Sherlock,
NPR,
26 June 2026
Lightly water the soil with a spray bottle to not overwhelm the seeds.
—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
26 June 2026
The mix runs almost dangerously hot, bruising kicks and red-lining riffs threatening to overwhelm the whole thing, and the sounds of revving engines at the beginning of most tracks underscore the sensation that we are gathered here today to burn rubber.
—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelm
Verb
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Rather than be benched, Devers batted cleanup, overcame an 0-for-3 start, and singled up the middle in the seventh to score Bryce Eldridge, who narrowly beat a tag at the plate for a 3-1 lead.
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Its highly specialized strategy likely evolved to take advantage of the ant’s natural aggression and then overcome its defenses; the slingshot mechanism flings the ant from the foraging trail, reducing the risk that the spider will be swarmed by other workers, the researchers hypothesized.
Verb
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Westeros will be engulfed in flames as the Dance of the Dragons sweeps away knights riding their mighty creatures and entire armies.
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The sun itself will undergo this transformation in around 5 billion years, swelling out to around the orbit of Mars and engulfing the inner rocky planets, including Earth.
Verb
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The project has sparked outrage because of the location’s pristine nature and unique habitat that would be irreversibly devastated, according to environmentalists.
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BangkokReuters — The family of a 17-year-old Thai girl whose body was found in a suitcase in Pattaya said they were devastated by her death, for which an Australian man has been arrested and charged with murder.
Verb
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Thousands of Dutch fans flooded the streets of Monterrey, Mexico, ahead of the Netherlands' World Cup match against Morocco in the round of 32 tonight.
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In the weeks since the show premiered, memes and unauthorized merch capturing Patricia’s dispassionate delivery, heroic shotgun wielding, and jerky dance moves have flooded the internet.
Verb
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The system has long been mired in controversy, including exam paper leaks and technical failures, placing a crushing burden on students, and financial strain on families investing everything in their children for a promise that can often appear fragile.
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When sacred places are bombed, when clergy are silenced, when believers are tortured, when religious freedom is crushed, the aggressor attempts to extinguish the living conscience of a nation.
Verb
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The wave of progressive candidates challenging mainstream Democrats may drown Sens.
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Kamal, a 60-year-old Palestinian man, is ordered by an Israeli court in Jerusalem to pay a large social security debt on behalf of his son Wael, who drowned in the Red Sea over 20 years ago, or so Kamal was told.
Cite this Entry
“Overwhelm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelm. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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