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
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Recent Examples of overwhelms
Disorientation isn’t an external force that overwhelms a person like a wave.
—
Jeff Wise, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Driven by the Gaza conflict and a deepening generational divide, Democratic sympathy for Palestinians now overwhelms support for Israel, threatening a historic partisan realignment.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Cuarón clearly understood that the more extravagant choices can only function in the periphery of a sturdy emotional anchor, an actor with the gravitas to communicate the exasperation that Liborio feels in a reality that overwhelms him.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
Kalani Brown scores 21 points and top-seeded Baylor overwhelms much smaller Texas Southern 119-30, the most lopsided women’s NCAA Tournament game.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Additionally, some of the visual scenery projected behind and above the set doesn’t always embrace but overwhelms the acting below.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
In practice, fluent dialogue quickly overwhelms reflective distance.
—Deb Roy, The Atlantic, 15 Feb. 2026
Aggressive training overwhelms healing tissue.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
For the characters, the love itself overwhelms every other consideration of feeling.
—New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Jeff Wise, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Driven by the Gaza conflict and a deepening generational divide, Democratic sympathy for Palestinians now overwhelms support for Israel, threatening a historic partisan realignment.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Cuarón clearly understood that the more extravagant choices can only function in the periphery of a sturdy emotional anchor, an actor with the gravitas to communicate the exasperation that Liborio feels in a reality that overwhelms him.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
Kalani Brown scores 21 points and top-seeded Baylor overwhelms much smaller Texas Southern 119-30, the most lopsided women’s NCAA Tournament game.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Additionally, some of the visual scenery projected behind and above the set doesn’t always embrace but overwhelms the acting below.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
In practice, fluent dialogue quickly overwhelms reflective distance.
—Deb Roy, The Atlantic, 15 Feb. 2026
Aggressive training overwhelms healing tissue.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
For the characters, the love itself overwhelms every other consideration of feeling.
—New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelms
Verb
-
Leo consistently overcomes challenges such as low light, rapid movement, and split second moments to produce sharp, compelling images.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
-
LithSonic overcomes this challenge by using supersonic flow, similar to the conditions inside a rocket engine, to achieve ultra-rapid cooling through a process known as shock quenching.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Kyiv residents endure long daily blackouts as Russia devastates the power system, leaving tower block dwellers freezing in apartments with no heat or light.—
Derek Gatopoulos,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Exacerbating the problem, unpredictable rainfall cycling between drought and floods further devastates the region.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
By the time the white light that floods Bogotá on cloudy days grows bright enough to be blinding, the june bug has dug herself a refuge in the dirt.—
María Ospina,
The Dial,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Every couple of years, during a hard rain, the creek floods her driveway.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
-
After 81 nearly drowns during an underwater drill, the regiment leaders (played by Dennis Quaid and Esai Morales) express concern that his PTSD from losing his brother might put him at risk or affect the team.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Mar. 2026
-
When Christina drowns herself for a second time, Baron Frankenstein is confronted by the unpredictability of stitching together dead flesh—his female creation is capable of reckoning with her past suffering.—
Rory Doherty,
Time,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overwhelms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelms. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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