overwhelms

verb

present tense third-person singular of overwhelm
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

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 overwhelms And yet, in Yoon’s hands, a character’s suffering never overwhelms their capacity for tenderness. — Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 One person has died and rescues are underway as catastrophic flooding overwhelms the Hill Country, a little more than a year after the July 4 floods killed more than 130 people in Central Texas. — Mary Ella Hastings july 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026 Furniture that is too large for a room overwhelms it; ensure your furniture is appropriate for your room size and the other pieces in that room. — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 July 2026 The visual storytelling is matched by clear, engaging prose that never overwhelms the images. — Rebecca Coffey, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 Trends break, sentiment changes and, sometimes, market volatility overwhelms even the cleanest chart formations. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 29 June 2026 Bold pink, yellow, and blue tile typically overwhelms a bathroom, dictates its overall color scheme, and limits decor choices. — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 June 2026 Wild scenes unfold as social media teen meetup overwhelms popular beach. — FOXNews.com, 2 June 2026 While vulnerability discovery once required significant human effort, the company says advanced systems can now uncover flaws at a scale that overwhelms traditional patching workflows. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelms
  1. overcomes
  2. floods
  3. devastates
  4. drowns
  5. oppresses
Verb
  • This technique overcomes limitations of older methods like genotyping arrays, which were often biased towards European ancestries and less accurate.
    — William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Mikel Oyarzabal has four goals, so could yet challenge if Spain overcomes France in the semifinals.
    — James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of overcomes
Verb
  • Each year, the tournament floods Baltimore’s economy with millions of dollars, boosting tourism, supporting local businesses, and energizing our communities.
    — Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 6 Aug. 2026
  • If an agent misbehaves, floods a system, or takes an unauthorized action, the organization on the receiving end often has no reliable way to determine who is responsible for it.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of floods
Verb
  • The urban planner and former professor also knows what happens next after a powerful earthquake devastates whole communities.
    — Luis Giraldo, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The breakup devastates both Charlie and Nick, who both resist their respective urges to reach out to one another, and Elle, Tao and Isaac Henderson (Tobie Donovan) come to Charlie’s home to look after him post-split.
    — Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
Definition of devastates
Verb
  • James eventually drowns, leaving Sara and Max to continue alone.
    — Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 29 July 2026
  • Most of the peril comes with dangerous ship-wrecking moments, including one that implies the death of Moana's relative, while our heroine herself almost drowns on her first voyage from land.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 July 2026
Definition of drowns
Verb
  • It is governed by a brutal regime that oppresses its people and is an enemy to the United States.
    — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 5 Mar. 2026
  • His policies have been instrumental in dismantling the criminal enterprise that oppresses the Venezuelan people.
    — Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Definition of oppresses

Browse Nearby Words

overwhelming
overwhelms
over with
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Cite this Entry

“Overwhelms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelms. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of overwhelms for Spanish Speakers

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