overwhelm
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to cause someone to feel sudden, strong emotions that are difficult to handle.
v.to affect someone's emotions so deeply that they are unable to react or think clearly.
Simple“She was overwhelmed by the kindness of the strangers who helped her.”
In context“The young musician was visibly overwhelmed by the standing ovation, struggling to find the words to thank the audience.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to give someone so much to do that they cannot deal with it all.
v.to inundate someone with an excessive amount of work, information, or responsibility.
Simple“The staff were overwhelmed by the number of phone calls after the announcement.”
In context“The customer service department was completely overwhelmed by the volume of complaints following the software update.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
v.to defeat someone or something using a lot of force.
v.to defeat or overcome by superior force or numbers.
Simple“The small army was quickly overwhelmed by the larger force.”
In context“The defensive lines were overwhelmed within hours as the opposing forces launched a coordinated multi-front assault.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to cover something completely with water or another liquid.
v.to engulf or submerge something completely, typically by a surge of water.
Simple“A giant wave overwhelmed the small boat during the storm.”
In context“The coastal village was overwhelmed by the rising tide, leaving the streets buried under a thick layer of silt and debris.”
Synonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
n.the feeling of having too much to deal with.
n.the psychological state of being overcome by stress or excessive stimuli.
Simple“She felt a sense of overwhelm as she looked at her long to-do list.”
In context“The therapist helped the patient develop strategies to manage the daily overwhelm caused by his demanding executive role.”
“Beyond those limits, heat, drought, insects, pathogens and wildfire can overwhelm any fertilization effect that would boost growth.”
“Ozempic, Wegovy, and similar drugs may deliver excellent health value, but covering them for millions of eligible patients could overwhelm insurance budgets.”
Inherited from Middle English overwhelmen, equivalent to over- + whelm.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.