1
as in overpowering
Related Words
Relevance
2
as in crushing
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
3
as in staggering
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in devastating
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
just the thought of how much work there is to do overwhelms me
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in flooding
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 overwhelming
Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2026
Back when stars and stellar systems formed, hydrogen and helium were abundant and everywhere; that is the overwhelming majority of what’s present in the Universe, and represents over 97% of what forms stars and planets.
—Big Think, 14 Apr. 2026
Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 30 Mar. 2026
Start by exploring a documentary, mapping a trip, or signing up for a course that stretches your thinking without overwhelming your schedule.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelming
Adjective
The response has been overwhelming and unexpected, Abu-Namous said.
—Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2026
Back when stars and stellar systems formed, hydrogen and helium were abundant and everywhere; that is the overwhelming majority of what’s present in the Universe, and represents over 97% of what forms stars and planets.
—Big Think, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
Bottled at 93 proof, the higher alcohol content helps amplify the complexity without overwhelming the balance.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 30 Mar. 2026
Start by exploring a documentary, mapping a trip, or signing up for a course that stretches your thinking without overwhelming your schedule.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelming
Adjective
-
The stench of death in Sinjar was so overpowering that Holland had to stop talking on camera.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
-
When the crew retracted the drill to replace its bit, an overpowering jet of oil fountained from the well.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And that makes his collapse all the more crushing.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Even the laughs and smiles that Joe and Kate Keller issue are fleeting, a respite from the journey toward a more crushing reality.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Even a conservative estimate tied to slavery alone produced staggering numbers.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
There are several factors driving the staggering heat, including a unyielding ridge of high pressure straddling Southern California and weaker-than-normal coastal winds, which typically drive upwelling along the coast.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The annual rains have been failing over the past several years, interrupted in 2023 by devastating flooding.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
But his professional success masks a series of devastating personal tragedies.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While some dams serve critical purposes, protection from flooding and supplying drinking water, along the 80-mile-long Charles River, Kumpf says nearly 20 dams are simply relics of the region's industrial past.—
Aaron Parseghian,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
With hundreds of new products flooding the halls of Fiera Milano and installations popping up across the city, even all six days are barely enough for the time needed to cover it all.—
Jesse Dorris,
Architectural Digest,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
All the irresistible secrets behind PEOPLE's World's Most Beautiful issue are being unveiled.—
Brendan Le,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Creole seasoning is balanced by creamy sauce and tender slices of chicken in this quick yet irresistible pasta.—
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Clearly, those are unacceptable results.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Trump, back in Washington, told the New York Post that even the deal Vance brought was unacceptable.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But his epic project is a stupendous, oceanfront complex in Palm Beach.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Rinko Kikuchi is stupendous as a ballroom-dancing widow infatuated with her instructor.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overwhelming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelming. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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