overwhelm

verb

over·​whelm ˌō-vər-ˈ(h)welm 

overwhelmed; overwhelming; overwhelms

transitive verb

1

: upset, overthrow

The tornado overwhelmed many mobile homes.

2

a

: to cover over completely : submerge

The city was overwhelmed by the flooding caused by the hurricane.

b

: to overcome by superior force or numbers

The city was overwhelmed by the invading army.

c

: to overpower in thought or feeling

overwhelmed with grief

overwhelmed by terror

A sense of inadequacy overwhelmed me.

overwhelmed with guilt

Did you know?

Let’s face it: life can get overwhelming. A person might be overwhelmed by a sensory experience or emotion; a city might be overwhelmed by an influx of tourists. Things can underwhelm, too: a bland meal, a bare wall, a lackluster playlist. But how often does an experience just, well, whelm you? The answer, unassumingly, is just as often as one overwhelms you—the two verbs are in fact largely synonymous. Both come from Middle English whelmen, meaning "to overturn," and overwhelm has always been more popular, perhaps because the emphatic redundancy of overwhelm makes it seem more apt for describing reactions to powerful forces or feelings.

Synonyms of overwhelm

• overcome
• devastate
• crush

Examples of overwhelm in a Sentence

Don't overwhelm him with facts.

They were overwhelmed with work.

The city was overwhelmed by the invading army.

Recent Examples on the Web

Bo never seemed to let the burdens of being the eldest child overwhelm him. — Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026

By summer 1951, unusually heavy rainfall had overwhelmed existing and newly built flood-control structures along the Kansas, Marais des Cygnes, and Neosho rivers and their tributaries. — Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026

At least two people have died as catastrophic flooding has stricken Texas Hill Country, a little over a year after rains overwhelmed the same region's Guadalupe River, causing flooding that killed over 130 people. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 17 July 2026

Clear explanations, confidence indicators, meaningful user control and easy ways to verify or override AI decisions create transparency without overwhelming the experience, which is crucial. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from over entry 1 + whelmen to turn over, cover up

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for overwhelm

• elm
• helm
• realm

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Kids Definition

overwhelm

verb

over·​whelm ˌō-vər-ˈhwelm 

-ˈwelm

1

: to cover over completely : submerge

a boat overwhelmed by a wave

2

: to overcome completely : crush

overwhelmed by grief