overwhelm

Formsoverwhelms, overwhelming, overwhelmed

Pluraloverwhelms

1. 1
   verbtransitive

   To affect someone so strongly with emotion that they lose composure or the ability to cope.

   Like a flood of feeling rising faster than you can bail it out.

   Memories of that day overwhelm me whenever I hear the song.

   She was overwhelmed by gratitude when the whole town showed up.

   Similarovercome, overpower, engulf, consume

2. 2
   verbtransitive

   To defeat and crush an opponent by overpowering them with superior force or numbers.

   Waves of attackers overwhelm the defenders before dawn.

   The rebels were overwhelmed by government tanks within a day.

   Similaroverpower, crush, overrun, rout, defeat

3. 3
   verbtransitive

   To flow over and bury something completely beneath a rising mass of water or other matter.

   Storm surges overwhelm low-lying coastal roads every winter.

   The avalanche overwhelmed the cabin, burying it under tons of snow.

   Similarswamp

4. 4
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The state of being mentally or emotionally swamped by more than one can manage.

   Like trying to drink from a fire hose: more arrives than you can ever take in.

   Constant notifications can tip workers into a state of overwhelm.

   She described the overwhelm of caring for two newborns at once.

   Similaroverload, stress

5. 5
   verbtransitive

   To cover something over completely, or to bury it beneath a surrounding mass.

   Ivy will overwhelm the brick wall if left untrimmed.

   Drifting snow overwhelmed the fence posts overnight.

   Similarbury, engulf, smother, cover, swallow

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