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
Uninhabited strike vehicles can map Russian air-defense reactions, force radars to emit, identify gaps, and overwhelm local defenses.
—
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
The surprise left her mother, Chanel Santillan, overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude.
—
Christina Cardona,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
After that first game, they were overwhelmed by the quality of both Egypt and Belgium, losing comprehensively to both.
—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
30 June 2026
But over time, exposure to extreme heat and humidity can overwhelm the human body’s cooling defenses, Kristie Ebi, a professor at the University of Washington’s Center for Health and the Global Environment.
—
Kristi Swartz,
AJC.com,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
The surprise left her mother, Chanel Santillan, overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude.
—
Christina Cardona,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
After that first game, they were overwhelmed by the quality of both Egypt and Belgium, losing comprehensively to both.
—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
30 June 2026
But over time, exposure to extreme heat and humidity can overwhelm the human body’s cooling defenses, Kristie Ebi, a professor at the University of Washington’s Center for Health and the Global Environment.
—
Kristi Swartz,
AJC.com,
29 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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Polls show Democrats are the favorites to retake Congress heading into November, but the party is engulfed at the moment by a fierce debate about its ideologicl direction.
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The impact caused a fire that engulfed the county bus, the NTSB said.
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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