Word
overwhelmed
Phoneticsover·whelmed
US/ˌoʊvɝˈwɛɫmd/
UK/ˌəʊvəwˈɛlmd/
Definitions
01too much work or stress
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. feeling like you have too many things to do and not enough time or energy to finish them.
adj. burdened by an excessive amount of work, responsibility, or sensory input that exceeds one's coping capacity.
“I felt completely overwhelmed by all the emails I had to answer after my holiday.”
“The social worker felt increasingly overwhelmed as her caseload doubled without any additional administrative support from the department.”
Usage
Often followed by the preposition 'by' or 'with'.
Pitfall
The work was very overwhelmed.
The work was very overwhelming.
Use 'overwhelmed' to describe how a person feels, and 'overwhelming' to describe the thing causing that feeling.
Synonyms
02strong emotion
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. feeling a very strong emotion, like being so happy or sad that you cannot speak.
adj. experiencing an intense emotional reaction that temporarily incapacitates one's usual composure.
“She was overwhelmed with joy when she saw her family at the airport.”
“The young author appeared visibly overwhelmed by the standing ovation, struggling to find the right words for her acceptance speech.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“But overwhelmed by the early weeks of motherhood, and suffering from post-partum depression after a traumatic birth, she was daunted by the prospect of a long journey to a doctor's surgery.” “People shared consistent reasons for this: the news put them in a bad mood, they felt overwhelmed and powerless to act.” “As temperatures climbed, heat and drought overwhelmed the benefits of higher carbon dioxide levels.” - Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/overwhelmed