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 show’s name referred to their self-identification as helpless babies overwhelmed by the pressures of modernity, comforted only by coating themselves in fancy serums and moisturizers to recreate the peaceful, placental insulation of the womb.
—
Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
Others warned that Korean entertainment could overwhelm the domestic industry.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
These rules, vehemently opposed by the natural gas industry, already watered down by the district to near-toothlessness, were ultimately rejected by the board — apparently overwhelmed by the flood of fake opposition to even the mildest effort to limit pollution from gas-burning appliances.
—Mary Nichols, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Your donations and messages have overwhelmed him with gratitude after so many years of hard work, sacrifice, and rebuilding.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
Others warned that Korean entertainment could overwhelm the domestic industry.
—ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
These rules, vehemently opposed by the natural gas industry, already watered down by the district to near-toothlessness, were ultimately rejected by the board — apparently overwhelmed by the flood of fake opposition to even the mildest effort to limit pollution from gas-burning appliances.
—Mary Nichols, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Your donations and messages have overwhelmed him with gratitude after so many years of hard work, sacrifice, and rebuilding.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelm
Verb
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But Neuer helped Freiburg build the 2-0 lead that Bayern had to overcome.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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Denver overcame 30 points from Toumani Camara, who hit eight of the Blazers' franchise-record 25 3-pointers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Slight concern engulfed Charles Lee leading into the Charlotte Hornets’ outing at Target Center on Sunday night.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
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Looking back, Dube said that the Living Wage Campaign served, in some ways, as a microcosm of the broader struggle over wages and living standards that has engulfed this country for the past half century.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Florida’s citrus industry has been in a steady decline the past 25 years because of Huanglongbing (also known as HLB and citrus greening disease), a bacterial disease that devastates citrus trees.—
Jim Turner,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
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Last year saw 13 named storms, including five hurricanes, most notably Category 5 Melissa, which devastated Jamaica.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On the end with the front gable, the designer stacked two floor-to-ceiling windows to give the illusion of a single continuous one and to flood the interior with ample natural light.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
12 Apr. 2026
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When the White House proposed winding down SLS and the Orion spacecraft after just three flights in its budget request to Congress last May, lobbyists from contractors like Boeing and Lockheed Martin flooded Capitol Hill.—
Sana Pashankar,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Kundrat, meanwhile, crushed an opposite-field grand slam to left-center to give the Porters a 7-1 lead in the third inning.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
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The way to crush imperialism has been shown to the world.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Tens of thousands fled by boat from Hue, many drowning in the attempt, and by the end of March a million refugees—soldiers, civilians, whole extended families—were clogging Route 7B, a major highway, trying to get farther south.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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One was a young man from West Africa, who survived the dangerous journey by sea to the Italian island of Lampedusa in the Mediterranean, where tens of thousands of migrants have drowned.—
Norah O'Donnell,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overwhelm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelm. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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