overwhelming
adjective
over·whelm·ing ˌō-vər-ˈ(h)wel-miŋ 
: tending or serving to overwhelm
overwhelming force
overwhelming evidence
also : extreme, great
overwhelming indifference
an overwhelming majority
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Receiving an overwhelming amount of praise, money and attention can lead to feeling untouchable—and this can become a friction point for Doman. 
Jordaan Sanford, Variety, 7 Sep. 2022 Through all of this, Americans do voice some confidence — but not an overwhelming amount — in their own state's ability to fairly count votes. Anthony Salvanto, Fred Backus, CBS News, 4 Sep. 2022 No matter the occasion or season, there are always plenty of opportunities to wear a dress and, of course, an overwhelming amount of options from which to pick. Madeline Fass, Vogue, 2 Sep. 2022 Another month, another overwhelming amount of content to consume on Netflix! Carrie Wittmer, Glamour, 24 Aug. 2022 However, since this type of home item has risen to popularity, the market has seemingly become oversaturated with an overwhelming amount of options to choose from. Josie Howell | Jhowell@al.com, al, 23 Aug. 2022 There isn't a cure for polio, but current vaccinations provide an overwhelming amount of protection that renders serious polio infections very unlikely — which is why anyone who has been vaccinated in their lifetime shouldn't worry too much. Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, 21 Aug. 2022 Johnson said the overwhelming amount of money in college sports — from N.I.L. deals to billion-dollar TV contracts — is positive. New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022 The overwhelming amount of music content – especially with any meaningful historic or nostalgic value – is available on streaming platforms. Howard Homonoff, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 See More
Jordaan Sanford, Variety, 7 Sep. 2022 Through all of this, Americans do voice some confidence — but not an overwhelming amount — in their own state's ability to fairly count votes. Anthony Salvanto, Fred Backus, CBS News, 4 Sep. 2022 No matter the occasion or season, there are always plenty of opportunities to wear a dress and, of course, an overwhelming amount of options from which to pick. Madeline Fass, Vogue, 2 Sep. 2022 Another month, another overwhelming amount of content to consume on Netflix! Carrie Wittmer, Glamour, 24 Aug. 2022 However, since this type of home item has risen to popularity, the market has seemingly become oversaturated with an overwhelming amount of options to choose from. Josie Howell | Jhowell@al.com, al, 23 Aug. 2022 There isn't a cure for polio, but current vaccinations provide an overwhelming amount of protection that renders serious polio infections very unlikely — which is why anyone who has been vaccinated in their lifetime shouldn't worry too much. Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, 21 Aug. 2022 Johnson said the overwhelming amount of money in college sports — from N.I.L. deals to billion-dollar TV contracts — is positive. New York Times, 19 Aug. 2022 The overwhelming amount of music content – especially with any meaningful historic or nostalgic value – is available on streaming platforms. Howard Homonoff, Forbes, 11 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1567, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
overwhelming
adjective
over·whelm·ing ˌō-vər-ˈhwel-miŋ
-ˈwel-
1
: very great or strong
an overwhelming majority
2
: very difficult or confusing
an overwhelming task
overwhelming 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in overpowering
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- overpowering
- irresistible
- irresistable
- infectious
- epidemic
- spreading
- tangible
- contagious
- perceptible
- catching
- palpable
- inviting
- winning
- endearing
- disarming
- fetching
- winsome
2
as in crushing
Synonyms & Similar Words
- crushing
- unacceptable
- unbearable
- painful
- intolerable
- uncomfortable
- harsh
- unendurable
- appalling
- horrifying
- intense
- insufferable
- shocking
- extreme
- unsupportable
- terrible
- horrible
- nightmarish
- horrendous
- excruciating
- insupportable
- hard
- harrowing
- gruesome
- dreadful
- horrid
- torturous
- sickening
- acute
- obnoxious
- comfortless
- nauseating
- repulsive
- revolting
- repugnant
- distasteful
- disgusting
- unspeakable
- vile
- loathsome
- tormenting
- offensive
- odious
- noxious
- heinous
- piercing
- wretched
- grewsome
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- tolerable
- acceptable
- adequate
- reasonable
- sustainable
- supportable
- endurable
- satisfactory
- sufferable
- livable
- allowable
- admissible
- liveable
3
as in staggering
Synonyms & Similar Words
- staggering
- stupendous
- formidable
- monolithic
- cavernous
- immeasurable
- imposing
- grandiose
- majestic
- towering
- considerable
- infinite
- boundless
- august
- extensive
- lofty
- tremendous
- enormous
- immense
- substantial
- great
- vast
- huge
- voluminous
- major
- sizable
- big
- bulky
- massive
- hefty
- gross
- outsize
- gigantic
- herculean
- gargantuan
- colossal
- overgrown
- prodigious
- humongous
- outsized
- monumental
- super
- goodly
- mighty
- astronomical
- largish
- monstrous
- mountainous
- sizeable
- oversize
- hulking
- mammoth
- handsome
- tidy
- cosmic
- giant
- titanic
- good
- heroic
- monster
- oceanic
- whopping
- elephantine
- humungous
- galactic
- mega
- planetary
- grand
- oversized
- whacking
- leviathan
- walloping
- vasty
- pharaonic
- cyclopean
- supersized
- jumbo
- gigantesque
- bumper
- astronomic
- heroical
- cosmical
- supersize
- Brobdingnagian
- super-duper
- king-sized
- Himalayan
- king-size
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- tiny
- minuscule
- infinitesimal
- little bitty
- diminutive
- microscopic
- small
- bitty
- little
- microscopical
- puny
- pocket
- miniature
- teeny
- teensy
- wee
- micro
- minute
- smallish
- pygmy
- undersized
- midget
- bantam
- petite
- undersize
- teeny-weeny
- mini
- teensy-weensy
- microminiature
- Lilliputian
- dinky
- dwarfish
- pint-sized
- pint-size
- half-pint
overwhelming
2 of 2verb
1
as in devastating
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress just the thought of how much work there is to do overwhelms me Synonyms & Similar Words
- devastating
- overcoming
- crushing
- overpowering
- whelming
- disturbing
- oppressing
- drowning
- swamping
- overmastering
- upsetting
- rocking
- shattering
- flooring
- distressing
- defeating
- staggering
- prostrating
- grinding (down)
- unnerving
- snowing under
- sinking
- deluging
- refuting
- demoralizing
- throwing
- confuting
- breaking
- unmanning
2
as in flooding
to cover with a flood that spring the massive runoff from melting snows overwhelmed the valley Synonyms & Similar Words
- flooding
- engulfing
- drowning
- inundating
- overflowing
- swamping
- submerging
- overcoming
- deluging
- gulfing
- flushing
- smothering
- avalanching
- submersing
- flowing
- gushing
- overrunning
- wetting
- spurting
- pouring
- streaming
- sluicing
- drenching
- soaking
- spouting
- dousing
- dowsing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- draining
- drying
- dehydrating
- parching
- in medio tutissimus ibis
- in memoriam
- in memory of
- in microcosm
- in midstream
- in mind
- in miniature
- in moderation
- in more ways than one
- in motion
- in name
- in name only
- in nature
- in need
- in need of
- in negotiation
- in no (fit) state
- in no condition
- in no fit state
- in no hurry
- in no position to
- in no sense
- in no small measure
- in no small part
- in no state