as in overwhelming
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
the news so whelmed them that they were stunned into silence
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whelming
Verb
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In Marcum’s home, a bowl of apples, red picture frames, and even a red matchbook placed on the coffee table are used as tools to lend a dynamic feel without overwhelming the space.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Oct. 2025 -
The majority of active shelter licenses for transitional and rehabilitation homes in Jefferson County are located in the West End and around Old Louisville, frustrating residents who say the homes are overwhelming their neighborhoods.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Not even a month had passed since his big sister, Toraya, was shot and killed at an apartment complex in New Jersey, devastating the Reid family and shaking the Timberwolves organization to its core.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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Oil was discovered there in the 1920s, and the county went through booms and busts for decades, enriching wildcatters and devastating the landscape, until a lasting bust left Loving County a virtual wasteland with no running water, paved roads, schools, hospitals, or grocery stores.—
Mitch Moxley,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The other notable incident of the first half was one person overcoming the tight security measures to reach the pitch.—
Philip Buckingham,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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Leaper Williams, a Lawrence High graduate who started working at KU at 16, emerged as one of KU football’s most recognizable employees through the years, overcoming a development impairment due to anoxia, a lack of oxygen to the brain, at birth.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
8 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Whelming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whelming. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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