1
as in overcomes
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 engulfs
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 overwhelms
Over such spans, change overwhelms continuity; too much simply disappears.
—
Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
This figure motivates Butrich but also overwhelms her.
—Sabrina Weiss, The Dial, 23 Sep. 2025
If a disaster overwhelms state and local capacity, officials may request a presidential declaration, the agency said.
—Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025
This overload wastes storage, overwhelms engineering teams, clutters observability tools and slows investigations when something actually goes wrong.
—Bill Hineline, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
As the infection overwhelms the body, severe drops in blood pressure further starve vital organs of oxygen.
—Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
But the showy structure overwhelms the unshowy story.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
For a material that so often overwhelms, this kind of wearability is rare and noteworthy.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2025
Other factors have also played a role in contaminating beaches, including increasingly severe weather that overwhelms sewage systems, and suburban sprawl that paves over natural areas and reduces the ecosystem’s ability to absorb stormwater, Rumpler said.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2025
Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
This figure motivates Butrich but also overwhelms her.
—Sabrina Weiss, The Dial, 23 Sep. 2025
If a disaster overwhelms state and local capacity, officials may request a presidential declaration, the agency said.
—Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025
This overload wastes storage, overwhelms engineering teams, clutters observability tools and slows investigations when something actually goes wrong.
—Bill Hineline, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
As the infection overwhelms the body, severe drops in blood pressure further starve vital organs of oxygen.
—Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
But the showy structure overwhelms the unshowy story.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
For a material that so often overwhelms, this kind of wearability is rare and noteworthy.
—Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2025
Other factors have also played a role in contaminating beaches, including increasingly severe weather that overwhelms sewage systems, and suburban sprawl that paves over natural areas and reduces the ecosystem’s ability to absorb stormwater, Rumpler said.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelms
Verb
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Quick and direct, this young adult novel in verse about a closeted Black boy who overcomes fear and shame through the power of poetry reads almost like a journal entry.—
Amber McBride,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Inflatable module overcomes launch constraints Orbital platforms are typically constrained by limitations related to the launch vehicle.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Americans are used to thinking about automation as something that devastates factory towns in the heartland.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
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The novel is about three teenagers experiencing the joy and angst of their senior year in a New York City high school as the AIDS crisis devastates their community.—
Abdi Nazemian,
PEOPLE,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Shauna Bell, who lives along Van Buren, said the nearby stormwater drain is constantly clogged from highway debris, which floods her yard.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Oct. 2025
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What To Know One of the most dangerous threats for Southern California will be the risk of debris flow as the rain floods recent burn scars, including the Eaton Scar and Bridge Scar.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
His policies have been instrumental in dismantling the criminal enterprise that oppresses the Venezuelan people.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
About once a year, someone drowns.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
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On the same day that Ebun’s beloved cousin Monife drowns, Ebun gives birth to her daughter, Eniiyi.—
Jasmine Vojdani,
Vulture,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overwhelms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelms. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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