# snowed under

idiom · CEFR B1

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/snowed-under
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Having a lot of things to do, usually work-related; tied up.

## Examples

- I am snowed under with work today.
- She cannot join us for lunch because she is completely snowed under with end-of-year reports.
- Although he hoped to take a vacation, he remained snowed under with urgent projects that required his immediate and undivided attention.

## Origin

Late 19th-century American: overwhelmed as if buried by a snowfall. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.