Overwhelm Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
😵
overwhelm
[ˌoʊvərˈwɛlm ]
Definitions
feeling
To give someone a strong feeling or emotion that is difficult to deal with. It can be positive or negative.
Synonyms
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| overwhelm |
When someone feels so much emotion or stress that they can't handle it. It can also refer to a large amount of something becoming too much to manage.
|
| flood |
Often describes water covering an area or can refer to an overwhelming amount of something arriving all at once.
|
| swamp |
Describes being overwhelmed by a large amount of work or problems, often creating a feeling of being stuck or trapped.
|
| engulf |
Used to describe something being completely surrounded or taken over, often in a dramatic way. It can refer to physical objects or figurative situations.
|
Examples of usage
- She was overwhelmed with joy when she received the good news.
- He was overwhelmed by the amount of work he had to do.
defeat
To defeat someone or something completely.
Synonyms
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| overwhelm |
Used to describe a feeling of being buried or swamped by something, whether it's emotions, tasks, or forces.
|
| crush |
Often used in more physical or emotional contexts to describe the act of compressing something with force or defeating someone completely. Can have a negative connotation.
|
| overpower |
Used when someone or something is defeated by force or strength. Often implies a struggle or resistance.
|
| vanquish |
A formal or literary word meaning to defeat someone completely, often used in historical or metaphorical contexts.
|
Examples of usage
- The army was overwhelmed by the enemy forces.
- The team overwhelmed their opponents in the final match.
Translations
To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.
Origin of 'overwhelm'
The word 'overwhelm' originated from the Middle English word 'overwhelmen', which means to overturn or overthrow. It has been used in the English language since the 14th century. The prefix 'over-' intensifies the meaning of 'whelm', which itself means to engulf or submerge. Over time, the word has evolved to represent a range of intense emotions and actions, from being flooded with feelings to being defeated completely.