# overwhelming

Pronunciation: US say "oh-vur-WEL-ming" /ˌoʊvɚˈ(h)wɛlmɪŋ/; UK say "oh-vuh-WEL-ming" /ˌəʊvəˈ(h)wɛlmɪŋ/

## Adjective

1. So powerful, forceful, or intense that it cannot be resisted or withstood.
   - Simple: So strong or powerful that it is very hard to resist or fight against.
   - _The defenders were beaten back by an overwhelming assault._
   - _A sudden, overwhelming sense of relief washed over the survivors._
2. Very great or intense in amount, degree, or extent.
   - Simple: Very great in amount, size, or strength.
   - _The proposal passed with overwhelming support from voters._
   - _The evidence against the suspect was overwhelming._
3. Extreme in degree or extent.
   - Simple: Extreme, or far more than what is normal.
   - _The summer heat was overwhelming, well past anything they had known._
   - _They fought on against overwhelming odds._

## Verb

4. Present participle of overwhelm. — present participle and gerund of overwhelm
   - Simple: Present participle of overwhelm. Use this -ing form when the action is happening right now.
   - _The flood was overwhelming the town's defenses within hours._
   - _Constant emails kept overwhelming her throughout the day._

## Noun

5. A state or situation of being overwhelmed by too much pressure, emotion, or stimulation.
   - Simple: A state of feeling that something is far too much to handle.
   - _By December, the sheer overwhelming of deadlines left her unable to focus._
   - _He described the overwhelming that hit him in the first week of parenthood._

## Origin

Formed from "overwhelm" combined with the suffix "-ing".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/overwhelming (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).