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

Relevance
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 Farther west, in the Pacific port city of Buenaventura, Mayor Ligia Córdoba Martínez said the scale of the destruction had overwhelmed the district government’s ability to respond. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2026 William and Catherine had introduced royal life gradually rather than overwhelming him with it. — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Whether that means a barrier-supporting moisturizer for dry skin, a gentle cleanser for sensitive skin or a lightweight serum, the goal is to work with the skin rather than overwhelm it. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026 These can overwhelm and damage your kidneys, leading to kidney failure. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 8 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
  • Unlike in the Senate, where Democratic votes can be necessary to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold, Jeffries commands a minority caucus in a chamber where Republicans can pass most legislation with a simple majority.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Lorne Balfe From overcoming dyslexia with early synths to navigating AI, remote recording, and spatial audio, the blockbuster composer reveals how technology shapes his scores.
    — Benny Har-Even, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of overcome
Verb
  • Its cells would then engulf the food particle and break it down into its constituent molecules.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Aerial images of the site showed a massive debris field around the remains of a house that was engulfed in flames.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of engulf
Verb
  • Our grandchildren are extremely important to my husband and me, and we are devastated they have been excluded.
    — Abigail Van Buren, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • This past July, hundreds of wildfires devastated a number of regions across Canada.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of devastate
Verb
  • Since the first attack July 18 in Elektrostal, just east of Moscow, and in the southwestern Tambov region, Wildberries depots burned one after another in massive fires that flooded social media.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Following the news of Panettiere’s death at age 36 on Sunday, fans have flooded TikTok to pay tribute to the actress and her many beloved roles throughout her career.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of flood
Verb
  • Primarily, Fernandes has been crushing opponents with his leg kicks.
    — Brett Appley, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Pinch-hitter Max Muncy crushed a three-run shot in the sixth inning to become the top home run hitter in Dodger Stadium history, but Los Angeles’ three-game winning streak ended with another concerning bullpen meltdown.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of crush
Verb
  • At least 115 people were crushed to death or drowned in the river below.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the whirlpools of history spin, and ordinary people, good and bad alike, drown in them.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of drown

Browse Nearby Words

overweights
overwhelm
overwhelmed
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Overwhelm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelm. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on overwhelm

Nglish: Translation of overwhelm for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of balmy

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All