Both come from Middle English whelmen, meaning "to overturn," and overwhelm has always been more popular, perhaps because the emphatic redundancy of overwhelm makes it seem more apt for …

OVERWHELM definition: to overcome completely in mind or feeling. See examples of overwhelm used in a sentence.

OVERWHELM definition: 1. to defeat someone or something by using a lot of force: 2. to cause someone to feel sudden…. Learn more.

overwhelm (ˌəʊvəˈwɛlm) vb (tr) 1. to overpower the thoughts, emotions, or senses of 2. to overcome with irresistible force

If a group of people overwhelm a place or another group, they gain complete control or victory over them. It was clear that one massive Allied offensive would overwhelm the weakened enemy. [VERB …

Definition of overwhelm verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

to load, heap, treat, or address with an overpowering or excessive amount of anything: a child overwhelmed with presents; to overwhelm someone with questions. to overthrow.

Jan 20, 2026 · Noun overwhelm (countable and uncountable, plural overwhelms) The state or condition of being overwhelmed.

Overwhelm generally refers to having an extremely strong emotional effect whereby one feels completely overcome. It can also mean to give too much of a thing to someone or something, to the …

overwhelm definition: charge with too many tasks. Check meanings, examples, usage tips, pronunciation, domains, and related words. Discover expressions like "overwhelm with favours".