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
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Recent Examples of overwhelm
So Good ‘When a Seat Freed Up at the Next Stop, He Sat Back Down’
As a new parent, I was overwhelmed by all the steps required to get a wriggling baby into the water.
—
New York Times, 18 May 2025
In a world overwhelmed by disinformation and blurred narratives, memory, identity and even history are constantly under siege.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 18 May 2025
What’s been missing is a way to connect the dots without overwhelming the person at the center of it all.
—Jason Phillips, USA Today, 17 May 2025
Enterprise buyers, already overwhelmed by cloud tools and SaaS sprawl, now face a new problem: how to evaluate AI offerings when the underlying technology is invisible and the stakes are existential.
—Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
New York Times, 18 May 2025
In a world overwhelmed by disinformation and blurred narratives, memory, identity and even history are constantly under siege.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 18 May 2025
What’s been missing is a way to connect the dots without overwhelming the person at the center of it all.
—Jason Phillips, USA Today, 17 May 2025
Enterprise buyers, already overwhelmed by cloud tools and SaaS sprawl, now face a new problem: how to evaluate AI offerings when the underlying technology is invisible and the stakes are existential.
—Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for overwhelm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelm
Verb
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Learning how to overcome your own anxiety is the first step to helping your kids do the same, said Robbins.—
Ashton Jackson,
CNBC,
30 May 2025
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The odds remain against them — only 16.1% of teams have overcome a 3-2 deficit in NBA playoff history — but the Knicks are coming off their best all-around performance of the series.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
30 May 2025
Verb
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During his interview with Piers Morgan, Tapper compared the scale of the events to Watergate, the scandal that engulfed former President Richard Nixon in the 1970s.—
Chloe Mayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 May 2025
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Videos circulating on Chinese social media showed gray and orange smoke billowing upwards, engulfing buildings in an industrial park.—
Nectar Gan,
CNN Money,
27 May 2025
Verb
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Sand, breeze blocks, storm shutters—these are materials of survival and exclusion, shaped by the hurricanes that regularly devastate her homeland.—
Nargess Banks,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
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The announcement comes after the Trump administration decided that Arkansas won't receive federal funds to repair infrastructure damaged by the March tornadoes that devastated much of north Arkansas, instead leaving it to the state and localities to pay for the clean-up.—
Neal Earley,
Arkansas Online,
23 May 2025
Verb
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When a storm is approaching, most evacuation orders are issued for areas where storm surge is a threat or for those near a body of water that is prone to flooding.—
Mallory Nicholls,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2025
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Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 May 2025
Verb
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When Resident Playbook starts, Yi-young is already crushing on her sister’s brother-in-law Do-won (Jung Joon-won).—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
19 May 2025
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But a disappointing loss to Sergio Martínez in 2012, lack of discipline needed to train properly and make weight, as well as a crushing defeat to Álvarez in 2017, sent his career into a free fall.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2025
Verb
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Hundreds of caribou have drowned after breaking through the ice.—
Alec Luhn,
Scientific American,
20 May 2025
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New founders often drown prospects in features, not value.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overwhelm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelm. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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