overwhelmed

American  

[oh-ver-hwelmd, -welmd] / ˌoʊ vərˈʰwɛlmd, -ˈwɛlmd /

adjective

1. completely overcome in mind or feeling.

   She told the overwhelmed and sobbing mother she would take care of all medical expenses.

2. loaded, filled, or addressed with an excessive amount of anything.

   Over 100 dogs were transported to other parts of the state from overwhelmed animal shelters on the coast.

3. overpowered or crushed, as by superior forces.

   The aim of the coalition's operation was to stop the dictator and his army from attacking already overwhelmed rebel troops.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of overwhelm.

Other Word Forms

• unoverwhelmed adjective

Etymology

Origin of overwhelmed

overwhelm ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

These higher-order effects are much harder to achieve because they are naturally very weak and quickly become overwhelmed by noise.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2026

In Florida, a viral video shows a woman, overwhelmed with emotion, pleading with an immigration judge to free her terminally ill father from ICE detention.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

Ahead of a show in Birmingham, he told BBC News he did not know what to expect from British audiences but had been overwhelmed by their enthusiasm.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

Hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans who have overwhelmed Deir al-Balah since the start of the war weren’t eligible to vote.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

They thought about going to Julio, but he was too overwhelmed with being sort of in charge during Etta’s absence.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Related Words

• affected
• devastated
• moved
• overpowered