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
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Recent Examples of overwhelm
If SpaceX somehow gets the money for all this — perhaps with a little help from its forthcoming IPO — it would quickly be overwhelmed by the sheer number of space launches needed to pull this off.
—
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 2 Apr. 2026
Mismatched Items No one wants the outside of their home to overwhelm visitors from the get go.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 2 Apr. 2026
Local authorities have voiced concerns that the facilities could overwhelm public sewage and water systems.
—Swasti Singhai, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Curtis loves his wife and children but is being overwhelmed by his self-destructive ways.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 2 Apr. 2026
Mismatched Items No one wants the outside of their home to overwhelm visitors from the get go.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 2 Apr. 2026
Local authorities have voiced concerns that the facilities could overwhelm public sewage and water systems.
—Swasti Singhai, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Curtis loves his wife and children but is being overwhelmed by his self-destructive ways.
—Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelm
Verb
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Bane overcame a slow start by making six of his first seven attempts at the free-throw line to reach 10 points after two quarters.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit with three goals in the third period, including Rielly's snap shot from the high slot that beat Anaheim goalie Ville Husso stick-side to give Toronto a 4-3 lead with three minutes left in regulation.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Arriving crews reported that the fire had already engulfed the second floor of a vacant, two-story house and began an offensive attack on the blaze, Nolan said.—
Robert A. Cronkleton
March 30,
Kansas City Star,
30 Mar. 2026
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By time deputies and firefighters arrived, the home was fully engulfed.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The mother of a 7-month-old girl killed by a stray bullet while sitting in her stroller in Brooklyn is devastated by Wednesday's horrific tragedy.—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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On May 18, 1980, the north slope of Mount Saint Helens, a volcanic peak in the Cascades Range, was blasted away in an eruption that killed 57 people and devastated an area of approximately 200 square miles.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The American Jewish community responded to the Yom Kippur War, which killed nearly three thousand Israeli soldiers, by flooding Israel with donations; doctors and students volunteered to join the war effort.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Inside, a central ramp—which spirals upward and outward from one exhibition floor to the next—creates an open interior space, flooded with daylight that pours in through a glass dome.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Taken together, these actions will cripple Iran's military, crush their ability to support terrorist proxies and deny them the ability to build a nuclear bomb.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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The thinking is that if oil doesn’t start flowing out of the Middle East soon, prices would have to go high enough to balance the market by crushing demand.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Project’s participants were instructed to fight one another and endure simulated drowning, among other humiliations and discomforts, while remaining awake for most of three days.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Authorities alleged Goldberg followed her and tried to drown her before a bystander intervened.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overwhelm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelm. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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