OVERWHELMED Synonyms: 92 Similar and Opposite Words

overwhelmed 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of overwhelmed

as in bewildered

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Dissimilar Words

overwhelmed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of overwhelm

as in devastated

to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress just the thought of how much work there is to do overwhelms me

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in flooded

to cover with a flood that spring the massive runoff from melting snows overwhelmed the valley

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of overwhelmed

Adjective

All of us are completely and totally overwhelmed by the familiar. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026 During trauma, the amygdala becomes highly active, processing emotions such as fear, and the hippocampus becomes overwhelmed by stress, leading to problems with memory storage. — Michele Patterson Ford, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026

Verb

Abrams was able to return to the song without being overwhelmed by the feelings that came with writing it. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026 While the defense overwhelmed the Dolphins’ offense, with interceptions by Deonte Banks in 1-on-1 drills and Paulson Adebo in 11-on-11, Jaxson Dart snapped out of his slump. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overwhelmed

Recent Examples of Synonyms for overwhelmed

Adjective

That bewildered shake of the head after Meyer's pitch in that video is not a rare occurrence for Raleigh this year.

— Eno Sarris, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
On Douban, a popular Chinese movie-review platform, viewers piled on with mocking and bewildered comments.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of bewildered

Verb

The flash flood which has devastated settlements in northern Nepal was caused by an earthquake triggering a large landslide which blocked the Bhote Koshi river, according to Nepal’s foreign minister Shishir Khanal.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
In season one, Alice (Nicola Walker) is devastated when her best friend Steve (Jemaine Clement) starts dating her 26-year-old daughter Izzy.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of devastated

Verb

Meta is rolling out an obvious fix to make its AI glasses less creepy amid backlash over the glasses’ non-consensual recordings that have flooded the Internet.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
But New Yorkers flooded social media after news broke, and eventually a petition was made in an effort to save the theater.

— Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of flooded

Adjective

Some buildings will close on a staggered two-year schedule as part of the Future Ready Facilities Plan.

— Megan Shinn, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
However, the supplier said Apple is battling supply, testing and pricing issues which could mean a staggered rollout in countries outside of the US, such as in Australia, with larger markets like China next in line after the US.

— Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of staggered

Verb

Joan Rubinger overcame a catastrophic biking accident that left her paralyzed to become an influential pain-relief specialist helping top-tier athletes get back on the field after acute and chronic injuries.

— Joshua Goodman, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
Judith Kreeger overcame gender barriers, work challenges and a surprise career.

— Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of overcame

Verb

Gunshots followed by an inferno Police responded to the home on Sunday evening and heard gunshots coming from out back, just before the house was completely engulfed in flames.

— Matthew Brown, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Police responded to the home on Sunday evening and heard gunshots coming from out back, just before the house was completely engulfed in flames.

— CBS News, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of engulfed

Verb

The very next day, like an anvil falling from the sky, Forte and his collaborators were crushed by the news that Warner Bros, the film’s studio, had decided to shelve the movie for a tax write-off.

— Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026
The Horned Frogs crushed the Tar Heels 48-14 in last year’s season opener at Chapel Hill, ruining the college coaching debut of six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of crushed

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“Overwhelmed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overwhelmed. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of overwhelmed

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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