overwhelm

[ oh-ver-hwelm, -welm ]

verb (used with object)

1. to overcome completely in mind or feeling:

   overwhelmed by remorse.

2. to overpower or overcome, especially with superior forces; destroy; crush:

   Roman troops were overwhelmed by barbarians.

3. to cover or bury beneath a mass of something, as floodwaters, debris, or an avalanche; submerge:

   Lava from erupting Vesuvius overwhelmed the city of Pompeii.

4. to load, heap, treat, or address with an overpowering or excessive amount of anything:

   a child overwhelmed with presents; to overwhelm someone with questions.

5. to overthrow.

overwhelm

/ ˌəʊvəˈwɛlm /

verb

1. to overpower the thoughts, emotions, or senses of
2. to overcome with irresistible force
3. to overcome, as with a profusion or concentration of something
4. to cover over or bury completely
5. to weigh or rest upon overpoweringly
6. archaic.
   to overturn

Word History and Origins

Origin of overwhelm¹

A Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; over-, whelm

Example Sentences

Almost everyone I spoke with placed the blame on immigrants, holding the view, as Crusius did, that dark-skinned people from the global south are surging northward to overwhelm white Christians, what’s become known as the “great replacement theory.”

From Salon

“That is one reason autistic people tend to like animation. There are so many subtitles that go on in live action that can easily overwhelm an autistic person.”

From Los Angeles Times

Planning officers had previously recommended the council should vote against the project, with campaigners saying it would overwhelm current infrastructure and harm the environment, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

From BBC

“I’m relaxed about it. I’ve always known what has always been most valuable, which is people, what is going on with people, what is going on with culture. This is so much about the ensemble, about how much we are connecting and the joy that it brought us all to make. It’s not about recognition individually. That should not overwhelm one’s ego or psyche. I feel good and more settled in that understanding. The incessant questioning about awards, awards, awards can be too much.”

From Los Angeles Times

It would compel countless patients to undergo procedural abortion in a clinic instead of terminating at home; this surge would overwhelm blue-state providers’ resources, which are already stretched thin by patients traveling from red states.

From Slate

Related Words

• bewilder
• confound
• confuse
• demoralize
• destroy
• disturb
• dumbfound
• overcome
• overpower
• puzzle
• shock
• stun
• surprise
• swamp
• upset