Meaning

4 senses

  1. To engulf, surge over and submerge.

    The dinghy was overwhelmed by the great wave.

    поглоща́тьpogloščátʹ, зава́ливатьzaválivatʹ

    поглина́тиpohlynáty, зава́люватиzaváljuvaty

  2. To overpower, crush.

    In December 1939 the Soviet Union attacked Finland with overwhelming force.

    überwältigen, übermannen

    подавля́тьpodavljátʹ, сокруша́тьsokrušátʹ, разбива́тьrazbivátʹ

    придуши́тиprydušýty, розгроми́тиrozhromýty, розби́тиrozbýty

  3. To overpower emotionally.

    He was overwhelmed with guilt.

    Joy overwhelmed her when she realized that she had won a million dollars.

    переполня́тьperepolnjátʹ, захлёстыватьzaxljóstyvatʹ, поглощатьpogloščatʹ

    приголо́мшуватиpryholómšuvaty, перепо́внюватиperepóvnjuvaty

  4. To cause to surround, to cover.

    cover completely or make imperceptible

Examples

206 sentences

  1. I was completely overwhelmed.

    Я був повністю пригнічений. — deniko

    deIch war total überwältigt. — Luiaard

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  2. Tom is overwhelmed.

    Том перевантажений. — deniko

    ruТом поражён. — shanghainese

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  3. I feel overwhelmed.

    Я перенавантажена. — Ahha

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  4. I was overwhelmed.

    Я був приголомшений. — deniko

    ruЯ был поражён. — Olya

    deIch war überwältigt. — Esperantostern

    niceguydave · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

  5. I didn't mean to overwhelm you.

    CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B1Open on TatoebaReport a problem

Translations

8 languages
Українська
By meaning 3
engulf, surge over:
to overpower, crush:
overpower emotionally:
Русский
By meaning 3
engulf, surge over:
to overpower, crush:
overpower emotionally:
Deutsch
By meaning 1
to overpower, crush:

Origin

Inherited from Middle English overwhelmen, equivalent to over- + whelm.

Inherited from Middle English overwhelmen, equivalent to over- + whelm.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

overwhelms, overwhelming, overwhelmed, overwhelmed
Base formoverwhelm · to overwhelm
3rd person singularoverwhelms
Present participleoverwhelming
Past simpleoverwhelmed
Past participleoverwhelmed

regular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theyoverwhelm
he, she, itoverwhelms

Past simpleLesson

all personsoverwhelmed

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave overwhelmed
he, she, ithas overwhelmed

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill overwhelm

Synonyms

12 synonyms
gripB2swamp
Close in meaning

Antonyms

1 antonyms
underwhelm

Word family

6 related words
Relatedwhelm
DerivedoverwhelmingB1overwhelmableoverwhelmedoverwhelmednessoverwhelmer

Lessons for this word

3 lessons

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
overviewoverweightA2overwhelmingB1overwhelminglyoverwinter

Dictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.

overwhelm — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto