overwhelmed
adjective
over·whelmed
ˌō-vər-ˈ(h)welmd 
1
: overcome by force or numbers
Some jurisdictions are so overwhelmed that they are experimenting with routing school-children into specially designed courts that would keep first-time offenders from being saddled with an arrest record.—
Gary Fields and John R. Emshwiller
Gary Fields and John R. EmshwillerOnly three Coast Guard rescue helicopters had managed to get into the air, and each was already overwhelmed by dozens of calls for help.—Christopher Cooper and Robert Block
Christopher Cooper and Robert Block"We were overwhelmed," said John Robinson, the Rams' coach. "Clearly dominated."—Paul Zimmerman
Paul Zimmerman2
: completely overcome or overpowered by thought or feeling
When he first appeared in full regalia, I was overwhelmed.—Jane Davison
Jane DavisonSuddenly he felt overwhelmed by a wash of terror.—Holly Black
Holly BlackHe finds that the institutions that might compensate for what overwhelmed parents are unable to do are themselves undermined by stingy public policies.—Lisbeth B. Schorr
Lisbeth B. SchorrExamples of overwhelmed in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Still, a measure of the high stakes came during the women’s final, when Anisimova was clearly overwhelmed by the magnitude of the moment, and Świątek defeated her, 6–0, 6–0, in under an hour.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Your customers are overwhelmed, so your message must be clear, concise and value-added.
—Melissa Sierra, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The catastrophic flooding overwhelmed parts of Texas Hill Country, a low-lying and flood-sensitive area of west-central Texas.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 10 July 2025
The ability to choose their own husbands was so unfamiliar that many of the would-be brides became overwhelmed, turning to the sisters for advice on the decision.
—Ann Foster, JSTOR Daily, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for overwhelmed
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Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Your customers are overwhelmed, so your message must be clear, concise and value-added.
—Melissa Sierra, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
The catastrophic flooding overwhelmed parts of Texas Hill Country, a low-lying and flood-sensitive area of west-central Texas.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 10 July 2025
The ability to choose their own husbands was so unfamiliar that many of the would-be brides became overwhelmed, turning to the sisters for advice on the decision.
—Ann Foster, JSTOR Daily, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for overwhelmed
Cite this Entry
“Overwhelmed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overwhelmed. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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