as in to overwhelm
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
the news so whelmed them that they were stunned into silence
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whelm
You’ll definitely be whelmed by the legit chemistry between Kat and Patrick, rebel teens who steal the show with their sweetness and dazzling wits.
—
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 12 May 2023
Its reputation is built on the backs of 3-series gone by, as this is the first ever 3 to merely whelm us.
—Alexander Stoklosa, Car and Driver, 26 July 2017
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 12 May 2023
Its reputation is built on the backs of 3-series gone by, as this is the first ever 3 to merely whelm us.
—Alexander Stoklosa, Car and Driver, 26 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whelm
Verb
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Cruel and unaccountable events pile up, overwhelming any sense of normality.—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
23 May 2025
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The ‘Willy Wonka’ phase A sweet, sugary smell overwhelms the next pod at Goodblend. Gummies in hues of orange, red, yellow, green and blue sit on parchment paper a metal tray.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 May 2025
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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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 Trump administration granted Syria sweeping exemptions from sanctions Friday in a big first step toward fulfilling the president’s pledge to lift a half-century of penalties on a country devastated by civil war.—
Abby Sewell,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whelm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whelm. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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