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overwhelm
[oh-ver-hwelm, -welm]
verb (used with object)
to overcome completely in mind or feeling.
overwhelmed by remorse.
to overpower or overcome, especially with superior forces; destroy; crush.
Roman troops were overwhelmed by barbarians.
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.
to load, heap, treat, or address with an overpowering or excessive amount of anything.
a child overwhelmed with presents; to overwhelm someone with questions.
to overthrow.
overwhelm
/ ˌəʊvəˈwɛlm /
verb
to overpower the thoughts, emotions, or senses of
to overcome with irresistible force
to overcome, as with a profusion or concentration of something
to cover over or bury completely
to weigh or rest upon overpoweringly
archaic, to overturn
Word History and Origins
Origin of overwhelm1
Example Sentences
But supply is rising more than twice as fast, and it is starting to overwhelm the market.
But supply is rising more than twice as fast, and it is starting to overwhelm the market.
That’s been the overwhelming motivation for residents in this neighborhood, who have refused to relent against an erratic landslide that has presented challenge after challenge.
"The overwhelming feelings are deep uncertainty and exhaustion. They see no clear path to return to their homes. They worry how to keep their children warm and fed."
Price matters: When Japan sells Treasurys, yields spike because supply overwhelms demand at current rates.
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Related Words
When To Use
The over- in overwhelm means “too much” and the under- in underwhelm essentially means “too little,” and the two words can be direct opposites, but they’re usually used in different contexts.Overwhelm most commonly means to cause to be overcome with emotion as a result of an amount of something (work, stress, etc.) that’s just too much to handle. (It can also mean to overpower or physically cover beneath a mass of something). Underwhelm means to fail to impress, especially when that is the expectation.Both words are often used in adjective forms: overwhelmed (overcome to the point of not being able to manage), overwhelming (describing something that leads to feeling overwhelmed), underwhelmed (unimpressed or disappointed), and underwhelming (unimpressive or disappointing).Being overwhelmed isn’t always about stress or other negative emotions. You could be overwhelmed by a friend’s generosity or the birth of a child. Still, it’s usually about feeling a lot. In this way, underwhelm can be the opposite of overwhelm in some situations. For example, the same concert may overwhelm one person (perhaps it’s the first concert they’ve ever attended) but underwhelm someone else (maybe because it doesn’t meet their high expectations).And, yes, whelm is a word. It can mean the same thing as overwhelm, but it’s very rarely used.Here’s an example of overwhelm and underwhelm used correctly in the same sentence.Example: I never want to underwhelm the fans, and sometimes that pressure can overwhelm me, but it all goes away when I walk on stage.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between overwhelm and underwhelm.
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