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
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 overwhelming
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
Miami is not known for its public transportation, so for the World Cup games hosted in South Florida, the logistics of getting thousands of fans to the stadium seemed overwhelming.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 15 June 2026
Kristian Winfield, Sun Sentinel, 25 May 2026
Starting with one or two from the list gives you flexibility without overwhelming your routine.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelming
Adjective
However, some find stronger fragrances overwhelming at first.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 June 2026
Miami is not known for its public transportation, so for the World Cup games hosted in South Florida, the logistics of getting thousands of fans to the stadium seemed overwhelming.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 15 June 2026
Verb
Now the Knicks are overwhelming a Cavaliers team that looks completely overmatched by the moment.
—Kristian Winfield, Sun Sentinel, 25 May 2026
Starting with one or two from the list gives you flexibility without overwhelming your routine.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelming
Adjective
-
Warm Vanilla Fine Fragrance Mist, $51 for seven Looking for a fragrance mist that’s warm, inviting, and sweet without being too overpowering?—
Nicol Natale,
PEOPLE,
27 Nov. 2025
-
Testers noted that the filling was strongly spiced which some liked, but was too overpowering for others and gave it an almost artificial taste that overwhelmed the crust.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The third strand of anti-vaccine advocacy, that compelling vaccine use is unacceptable, is a philosophical claim, not one of fact.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Allowing the status quo to remain is simply unacceptable.—
Catherine Blakespear,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
The supporting drama categories remain the most crowded acting races, but still shows the long-term decline, which is staggering.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
12 June 2026
-
Rights advocates say Abu Safiya’s case underscores the opaque detention of at least 14 Gaza doctors in Israeli prisons, as the war’s staggering civilian toll fuels international scrutiny of Israel’s conduct.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
But Saeta, which has been outfitting the team since coming to its rescue after the country’s devastating 2010 earthquake, has been struggling to keep up with demands, creating an opening for designers and other vendors selling unofficial merchandise.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
-
The British government refused to subsidize food prices or restrict exports of Irish agricultural goods, further devastating the island.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The historic victory sparked scenes of jubilation, with fans flooding the streets, celebrities joining in the festivities and city leaders planning a ticker-tape parade.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
14 June 2026
-
With Uso taking one step closer toward another main event singles match, WWE fans are flooding YouTube and social media with negative reactions to Uso’s latest major singles victory.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Pop in a cinnamon stick or candy cane, or rim the glass with crushed cookies or holiday sprinkles for an irresistible touch.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
11 Dec. 2025
-
There’s something irresistible about this tableau of mismatched illustrations—the disparate drawing styles somehow find a perfect rhythm together.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
11 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
The core characters Each character came into their own during the series, sometimes in emotionally painful ways.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
14 June 2026
-
Hidden inside those numbers is a long and painful history.—
Ryan Lenora Brown,
NPR,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
What’s stunning about the venture isn’t so much the stupendous scale of investment—that’s what AI is all about—but that six leaders in the field that are competitors in different products to different degrees, and often fierce opponents, could unite to form a single company.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
23 Nov. 2025
-
Designed to survey a large portion of the entire sky over and over, more deeply and in a speedier fashion than ever before, its science goals are stupendous.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overwhelming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelming. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
