overwhelm

verb
UK: /ˌəʊvəˈwelm/
US: /ˌoʊvərˈwelm/

  1. To defeat someone or something by using a lot of force

    1. The enemy forces overwhelm the town's defenses easily.
    2. Government troops overwhelmed the rebels to restore order in the region quickly.

  2. To cause someone to feel strong emotions.

    1. The beauty of the mountains overwhelm me.
    2. The sheer scale of the project can overwhelm even experienced managers sometimes.

  3. To cover or bury something completely.

    1. The floodwaters overwhelm the small village.
    2. A wave of cheap imports threatened to overwhelm the domestic industry totally.

Synonyms

flood crush bury stun overpower
overwhelm adjective

  1. Feeling strong emotions so strongly that you cannot think clearly.

    1. I was overwhelm by sadness.
    2. She felt overwhelm with emotion when she heard the news last night.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "overwhelm" in English means: To defeat someone or something by using a lot of force, To cause someone to feel strong emotions., To cover or bury something completely..

The phonetic transcription of "overwhelm" is /ˌəʊvəˈwelm/ in British English and /ˌoʊvərˈwelm/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "overwhelm": flood, crush, bury, stun, overpower.

Example usage of "overwhelm": "The enemy forces overwhelm the town's defenses easily.". More examples on the page.