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 At first glance, the 300-pound man seemed to overwhelm the single digit. — Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026 Hafley has talked extensively about his refusal to overwhelm rookies, something that explains his unwillingness to cross-train Proctor. — Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026 The wait times also help ensure that the site doesn’t get overwhelmed by demand. — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Abrams was able to return to the song without being overwhelmed by the feelings that came with writing it. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 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
  • And then, with the game in the balance, Taylor’s two 3-pointers over the Valkyries — against man-to-man defense — was too much to overcome.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • This method could potentially be adapted for industrial manufacturing, but there were still limitations to overcome, with the biggest one being the quality of the material.
    — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of overcome
Verb
  • Gunshots followed by an inferno Police responded to the home on Sunday evening and heard gunshots coming from out back, just before the house was completely engulfed in flames.
    — Matthew Brown, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Police responded to the home on Sunday evening and heard gunshots coming from out back, just before the house was completely engulfed in flames.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of engulf
Verb
  • DeLind said that his former business partner, who passed away in February, had been devastated by the theft.
    — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • His city had been the epicenter of the worst American riot in generations, and his country had thrown its support behind Israel, helping to devastate parts of his ancestral home.
    — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of devastate
Verb
  • The twin springs that gave the Revolutionary War battle its name are no more, inundated by the 1940s project that flooded the Santee River basin for hydroelectric power and flood control.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Each room is flooded with amber Southwestern light, framed by chunky wooden beams, and the massive beds are adorned with local textiles.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of flood
Verb
  • On Thursday, however, good fortune found Ramos in the third inning, as the left fielder crushed an RBI double off the corner of Camden Yards’ right field wall.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Cindy said the icing process is time consuming, especially since the egg shells need to be crushed and dehydrated.
    — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of crush
Verb
  • Oliver has been away from Buffalo's facility for periods this summer in the aftermath of his son, also named Ed, drowning in June at a residential pool in Houston.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • North American carrier upgrade cycles align perfectly with Apple's September calendar, channelling extensive marketing support and customer upgrades towards the new iPhone, effectively drowning out rival Android flagships.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 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 29 Aug. 2026.

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