Dictionary

overpower en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /oʊ.vɚˈpaʊ̯.ɚ/ (US)
• /əʊvəˈpaʊə/ (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úp Proto-Indo-European *-er Proto-Indo-European *upér Proto-Germanic *uber Old English ofer- Middle English over- English over- Proto-Indo-European *pótis Proto-Italic *potis Proto-Indo-European *h₁es- Proto-Indo-European *h₁ésti Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- Proto-Indo-European *-t Proto-Indo-European *bʰúHt Proto-Italic *som Proto-Italic *possom Latin posseder. Vulgar Latin potēre Old French pooir Anglo-Norman poerbor. Middle English power English power English overpower From over- + power.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To subdue someone by superior force.
   • Amidst all the chaos, Großer Kurfürst slows up and strikes her colors, her crew having had enough, and have^([sic]) overpowered the officers - willing to fight, but not willing to commit suicide. 2018 October 17, Drachinifel, 25:13 from the start, in Last Ride of the High Seas Fleet - Battle of Texel 1918, archived from the original on 04 Aug 2022:
   • We overpowered the opposing army within a couple of hours.
2. (transitive) To excel or exceed in power; to cause to yield; to subdue.
   • Bright light overpowers the eyes.
   • But the shrill wild cry of the heron overpowered the cries of all the other birds, whom it seemed to terrify; they were silent the moment they heard it, and a silence followed which made the interruption doubly unpleasant. 1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 86:
3. (transitive) To render imperceptible by means of greater strength, intensity, etc.
   • Although surprisingly moist, thanks to the stock (indeed, the contrast between the crisp exterior and the squidgy middle is horribly moreish), the combination of parsley, garlic and breadcrumbs reminds me of a very fancy loaf of garlic bread – and all but overpowers the sweet flavour of the cashews. 2011 December 15, Felicity Cloake, “How to cook the perfect nut roast”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 20 Dec 2021:
   • The dish was OK, but the garlic slightly overpowered the herbs.
4. (transitive) To make excessively powerful.
   • Rather than overpowering the characters or giving them some kind of slow-mo adrenalin abilities, Bloody Days does the most unexpected thing: it introduces a genuinely smart tactical system. 2017 March 10, Adam Smith, “Reservoir Dogs: Bloody Days is smarter than you’d think”, in Rock Paper Shotgun, archived from the original on 23 Jan 2022:

Forms

Antonyms

nerf

Deriveds

overpowerer · overpowering · overpowerable · overpowered

Synonyms

overbear

Translations (36)

es dominar (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · eo superforti (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · fi peittää alleen (render imperceptible by means of greater strength) · ko 압도하다 (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · ru сокруша́ть (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · grc κατισχύω (render imperceptible by means of greater strength) · ru переси́ливать (excel or exceed in power) · ja 圧倒する (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · da overvælde (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · da overmande (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · fi kukistaa (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · es realzar (render imperceptible by means of greater strength) · cmn 壓倒 /压倒 (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · ar اِسْتَبَدَّ (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · ru подавля́ть (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · es abrumar (excel or exceed in power) · nl overmannen (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · grc κατισχύω (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · de übermannen (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · de überwältigen (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · ru переси́ливать (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · mi whakatūoi (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · es someter (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · fi jättää varjoonsa (render imperceptible by means of greater strength) · la obruō (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · sv överväldiga (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · bg преобладавам (render imperceptible by means of greater strength) · nl overweldigen (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · grc χειρόομαι (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · es agobiar (excel or exceed in power) · fr soumettre (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · fi olla liian voimakas (excel or exceed in power) · es sofocar (excel or exceed in power) · es aturdir (excel or exceed in power) · es vencer (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel) · bg надвивам (subdue someone by superior force — see also compel)