overload
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
overloadsimple
-
overloadssimple
-
have overloadedperfect
-
has overloadedperfect
-
am overloadingprogressive
-
are overloadingprogressive
-
is overloadingprogressive
-
have been overloadingperfect progressive
-
has been overloadingperfect progressive
Past
-
overloadedsimple
-
had overloadedperfect
-
was overloadingprogressive
-
were overloadingprogressive
-
had been overloadingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overload
Explanation
To overload is to load an excessive amount in or on something, such as an overload of electricity which shorts out the circuits. Overloading causes a "Too much!" situation. To overload is to push something or someone too far. A supervisor can overload an employee by assigning too much work. People can overload a bus if there are too many of them. A fuse will blow if too many appliances overload the circuits; this is called an overload (the noun form). When something gets overloaded, it usually stops working. Hair can overload or clog a sink, which will stop draining water. When something gets overloaded, there's more of something than it can handle.
Vocabulary lists containing overload
The House of Hades
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When I Was the Greatest
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: over-
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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:
Now may not be the time to whip up your favorite cold salads or overload on the “L” in your BLTs.
From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026
In such conditions, a 49-foot boat would typically be stable and 20 passengers wouldn’t be expected to overload it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
The Midwestern city of Chicago was likewise bracing for possible grid overload.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
"Yes, the best way to attack against a 4-4-2 is to create an overload in the centre," said Davide.
From BBC ● May 4, 2026
Just as the complexity of the mess Fve dragged everybody into begins to overload my brain, a distant chain of explosions sends a tremor through the room.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
When she sets screens on the perimeter and rolls to the basket or passes from a variety of spots on the court, it overloads defenses and opens up potent offensive options for the Bruins.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2026
Patients also recovered more quickly from metabolic crises, i.e., overloads of the energy metabolism, which can suddenly worsen the course of this disorder.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 31, 2026
Strong solar storms however bring more than just stunning light displays -- they can also disrupt communication systems and cause satellite malfunctions and power grid overloads.
From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2025
But regardless of who plays, opponents would still be able to create midfield overloads by using the same rotations with which City and Fulham have found success.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2025
This was first suggested by Lundell, the object being to prevent, as far as possible, the distortion of the magnetic field due to armature reaction especially on heavy overloads.
From Hawkins Electrical Guide, Number One Questions, Answers, & Illustrations, A Progressive Course of Study for Engineers, Electricians, Students and Those Desiring to acquire a Working Knowledge of Electricity and its Applications by Hawkins, Nehemiah
Up until then, managers had been reliant on the restaurant’s desktop systems, already overloaded with running all the back office restaurant operations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
In Astana, schools are overloaded, and heating and water supply systems are struggling to cope, he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Zoe said in that moment all she could focus on was the revelation of the affair - her body had been overloaded with five shocks in about 40 seconds.
From BBC ● May 30, 2026
If LRP1 binds amyloid-β too strongly, the transport machinery becomes overloaded and breaks down.
From Science Daily ● May 17, 2026
“We are already overloaded on altos,” she said.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
Meanwhile, the lack of connections mean wind farms are sometimes paid to switch off their turbines to avoid overloading the grid.
From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026
Davis said when he put the service charge policy in place several years ago, he carefully considered the language to nod to the history of tipping without overloading customers with information.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2026
On a recent day, a group of emergency energy engineers gathered at a transformer substation to carry out repairs after residents turned on all their equipment at once when power was restored, overloading the system.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 15, 2026
"Restoration is proceeding in stages. This approach is required to avoid overloading the networks and to prevent new accidents," it added.
From Barron's ● Jan. 31, 2026
It felt cold, which probably meant it was so hot it was overloading Annabeth’s nerves.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
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.
