overwhelm
overwhelm Lexical Profile
overwhelm Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To affect someone very strongly with an emotion, sensory impression, or mental burden to the point that it is difficult to cope.
"The sheer volume of congratulatory messages threatened to overwhelm the newly elected mayor."
To give too much of a task, responsibility, or quantity of something to someone or a system.
"The sudden surge in online orders began to overwhelm the small bakery's delivery staff."
To defeat or overpower completely through superior strength or numbers.
"The defending champions managed to overwhelm their opponents in the final quarter of the game."
To bury, submerge, or cover completely beneath a huge mass of water or debris.
"Rising floodwaters threatened to overwhelm the low-lying coastal roads during the storm."
• noun
The state or feeling of being mentally or emotionally overloaded by an excessive amount of stress, responsibility, or sensory input.
"Taking short breaks throughout the afternoon helped her manage the sense of overwhelm during finals week."
• Rhymes for overwhelm
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Originating in Middle English as 'overwhelmen', the word combines the prefix 'over-' with 'whelmen' (to turn over or submerge), which is related to the Old English 'hwelfan' meaning to arch or vault over.