overwhelm

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈ(h)welm How to pronounce overwhelm (audio)
Definition of overwhelmnext
1
as in to overcome
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 to engulf
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 overwhelm After that first game, they were overwhelmed by the quality of both Egypt and Belgium, losing comprehensively to both. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 30 June 2026 Uninhabited strike vehicles can map Russian air-defense reactions, force radars to emit, identify gaps, and overwhelm local defenses. — David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 The city is recommending zoning regulations that fall in line with state statute while trying to calm residents who are worried data centers will overwhelm resources like water and energy and impose on their quality of life. — Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 2 July 2026 But over time, exposure to extreme heat and humidity can overwhelm the human body’s cooling defenses, Kristie Ebi, a professor at the University of Washington’s Center for Health and the Global Environment. — Kristi Swartz, AJC.com, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelm
  1. overcome
  2. engulf
  3. devastate
  4. flood
  5. crush
  6. drown
Verb
  • The rookie point guard overcame early shooting struggles to lead all scorers with 25 points.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2026
  • The telecommunications giant’s fight to end landline service is playing out in the FCC and federal court, amid an underlying battle over how much power the agency has to overcome decisions by states.
    — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 4 July 2026
Definition of overcome
Verb
  • Polls show Democrats are the favorites to retake Congress heading into November, but the party is engulfed at the moment by a fierce debate about its ideologicl direction.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • The impact caused a fire that engulfed the county bus, the NTSB said.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of engulf
Verb
  • Twin earthquakes on June 24 devastated Venezuela, with more than 3,300 deaths and more than 30,000 people reported missing.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Their larvae, which burrow into the flesh of cattle and can be fatal if untreated, can devastate wildlife and bring financial ruin to ranchers.
    — Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 4 July 2026
Definition of devastate
Verb
  • News of his death – one example of the political violence roiling America in recent years – quickly went global, with graphic videos flooding social media and politicians on both sides of the aisle swiftly condemning the killing.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Video from the store's security camera captured the collapse, showing a portion of the roof fall near the bakery section as a deluge of water flooded the interior.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 6 July 2026
Definition of flood
Verb
  • The team’s findings suggest that crushing concrete and exposing it to air during recycling or shallow burial could dramatically improve its ability to immobilize radioactive contaminants.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
  • The vineyard’s primary business is growing and crushing grapes to produce bulk wine for these buyers, some of which are also managing the Canadian market loss.
    — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of crush
Verb
  • The death marked the fourth fatal drowning on the Lake of the Ozarks in 2026, according to the patrol’s data.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026
  • The team’s supporters filled a few compact sections, islands of green drowned out in a sea of blue Kylian Mbappé jerseys.
    — Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 6 July 2026
Definition of drown

Browse Nearby Words

overweights
overwhelm
overwhelmed
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Cite this Entry

“Overwhelm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelm. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on overwhelm

Nglish: Translation of overwhelm for Spanish Speakers

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