overpower
Americanverb (used with object)
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overpowers,
present (3rd person singular)
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overpowered,
past participle, past
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overpowering
present participle
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to overcome, master, or subdue by superior force.
to overpower a maniac.
-
to overcome or overwhelm in feeling; affect or impress excessively.
overpowered with confusion and desire.
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to gain mastery over the bodily powers or mental faculties of.
a strong drink that quickly overpowered him.
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to furnish or equip with excessive power.
a giant motor that overpowered the pump.
verb
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to conquer or subdue by superior force
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to have such a strong effect on as to make helpless or ineffective
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to supply with more power than necessary
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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overpowersimple
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overpowerssimple
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have overpoweredperfect
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has overpoweredperfect
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am overpoweringprogressive
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are overpoweringprogressive
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is overpoweringprogressive
-
have been overpoweringperfect progressive
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has been overpoweringperfect progressive
Past
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overpoweredsimple
-
had overpoweredperfect
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was overpoweringprogressive
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were overpoweringprogressive
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had been overpoweringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overpower
Explanation
To overpower is to overcome with greater strength. In order to win an arm-wrestling match, you must overpower your opponent. The word overpower is often used in situations where great force is used or required against some person or thing. One army might overpower another, or a mugger might overpower his victim. But delicate things, like the scent of a perfume, can also overpower you, especially if they're too strong. Our emotions can also overpower us: we cheer after a home run and swoon when it's love at first sight.
Vocabulary lists containing overpower
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 20–25
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Words for Cheese Writers
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"Rachel the Clever"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Powell compared China’s naval strategy around Taiwan to that of a boa constrictor, moving slowly to overpower its rival, rather than striking dramatically as a viper might.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
He wanted to include his friends in the world of “Omakase” without letting the feature list overpower the project’s mystique.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026
Often, it’s “winner takes all” in the tech industry, and large companies can overpower their competitors once they get to a certain market share.
From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026
Luke Littler produced form close to his sensational best to overpower Michael van Gerwen and win his third Premier League night of the season in Berlin.
From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2026
“Hi, Mama,” he said, and he beamed up at her, hoping it would overpower the awkwardness that hung over everything.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
“It was confusing, because as the judge speaks, her microphone overpowers the translator on the video call,” Alberto said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
It has spread extensively across the north-west Highlands where it often overpowers native species.
From BBC ● May 21, 2026
The key is striking a balance: too spicy and it overpowers the meat; too sweet and it risks hardening into a candy shell.
From Salon ● Apr. 18, 2025
“You’ve got to have something so significant that overpowers money,” George Trice said.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 13, 2023
“I think it overpowers you. It’s just kind of loud.”
From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli
There have been “years where I feel completely overpowered to the point where I’m not motivated to take part,” said Murillo, who didn’t vote in 2024 but plans to do so in November.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Italian midfielder Tonali cost £100m from Newcastle United, but was utterly outshone and overpowered by Brentford's record buy Mamadou Sangare, who was the game's outstanding performer.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
England failed to repeat their performance that overpowered Croatia in their first World Cup game as they were held to a draw by a resolute Ghana at Boston Stadium.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
Were those chuckles overpowered by groans and eye rolls?
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
Pretty soon everything quieted down and I knew that Old Rowdy had been overpowered and was getting the Red Cross treatment.
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
It’s both salty and sweet, without feeling overpowering on either end of the flavor scale.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
Iga Swiatek continued her Wimbledon title defence by overpowering former finalist Karolina Pliskova in a commanding straight-set victory to reach the third round.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
At points during the third and fourth sets, he was hitting the ball 40mph faster than Djokovic on his groundstrokes, with his brutal striking overpowering the Serb at the back of court.
From BBC ● May 29, 2026
She finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds, four of which she tallied on offense, simply by overpowering whichever Trojan big she was up against.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 3, 2026
The heat in the acacia thicket was overpowering.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
