# overwhelmingly

/ˌoʊvɝˈwɛɫmɪŋɫi/ (US) · /ˌəʊvəwˈɛlmɪŋli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/overwhelmingly
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. mostly or by a large majority

adverb · CEFR B2

used to say that almost everyone or everything in a group is the same.

For teachers: predominantly or by a vast majority; used to describe a result or opinion that is nearly universal.

- The local community voted overwhelmingly in favour of the new park.
- Despite the controversial nature of the proposal, the board voted overwhelmingly to approve the merger during the final session.

### 2. very strongly or intensely

adverb · CEFR B2

in a way that is very powerful or feels like too much to handle.

For teachers: to an intense or irresistible degree; used to describe emotions or physical forces that are difficult to oppose.

- The smell of the flowers in the small room was overwhelmingly sweet.
- The evidence presented by the prosecution was overwhelmingly convincing, leaving the defence with very few options for appeal.

## Examples

- The team won overwhelmingly in the final match.
- Voters overwhelmingly rejected the new tax proposal during the local election.
- Critics overwhelmingly praised the film for its bold direction, though a few reviewers found the pacing too slow.

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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.