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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

overwhelm en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • ōˌ-vər-hwĕlmˈ
  • /ˌəʊ.vəˈ(h)wɛlm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˌoʊ.vɚˈ(h)wɛlm/ (Canada, General-American)
  • /ˌoː.vaˈwɛlm/ (Caribbean)
  • (Southern-England) audio
  • -wĕlmˈ
  • /ˌo.ʋəˈʋʱɛlm/ (India)
  • /ˌo.və(ɹ)ˈhwɛlm/ (Scotland)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úp Proto-Indo-European *-er Proto-Indo-European *upér Proto-Germanic *uber Old English ofer- Middle English over- Proto-Indo-European *kʷelp-der. Proto-Germanic *kʷolpós Proto-Germanic *hwalbazder.? Proto-Indo-European *kʷelp-der. Proto-Germanic *kʷólpo- Proto-Germanic *hwalbąder.? Old English hwealf Old English *hwealfnian Old English *hwealmnian? Middle English whelmen Middle English overwhelmen English overwhelm Inherited from Middle English overwhelmen, equivalent to over- + whelm.

Meanings

  1. (countable, uncountable) The state or condition of being overwhelmed.
    • The fact is, that full permeation and understanding of an overwhelm or trauma makes it cease as an overwhelm or trauma. 2015, Rolf Dane, Deep Clearing, Releasing the Power of Your Mind:
    • And what you’re feeling is normal in a dangerous situation — overwhelm and guilt when someone is harmed. 2021, Star Trek: Discovery, “Stormy Weather”, season 4, episode 6, spoken by Michael Burnham:
    • If you beat your opponent by a margin of 5 or more, you have Overwhelmingly Succeeded. This type of success is often simply called an Overwhelm. […] An overwhelm means you've not only succeeded, but you've done something better than the average success would be. 1999, Jason Holmgren, Ironclaw:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
o'erwhelm alternative, poetic lexicographic
overwhelms Number=Plur lexicographic

Relateds

too many balls in the air

Synonyms

overwhelmedness · overwhelmment

overwhelm en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • ōˌ-vər-hwĕlmˈ
  • /ˌəʊ.vəˈ(h)wɛlm/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˌoʊ.vɚˈ(h)wɛlm/ (Canada, General-American)
  • /ˌoː.vaˈwɛlm/ (Caribbean)
  • (Southern-England) audio
  • -wĕlmˈ
  • /ˌo.ʋəˈʋʱɛlm/ (India)
  • /ˌo.və(ɹ)ˈhwɛlm/ (Scotland)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úp Proto-Indo-European *-er Proto-Indo-European *upér Proto-Germanic *uber Old English ofer- Middle English over- Proto-Indo-European *kʷelp-der. Proto-Germanic *kʷolpós Proto-Germanic *hwalbazder.? Proto-Indo-European *kʷelp-der. Proto-Germanic *kʷólpo- Proto-Germanic *hwalbąder.? Old English hwealf Old English *hwealfnian Old English *hwealmnian? Middle English whelmen Middle English overwhelmen English overwhelm Inherited from Middle English overwhelmen, equivalent to over- + whelm.

Meanings

  1. To engulf, surge over and submerge.
    • The dinghy was overwhelmed by the great wave.
  2. To overpower, crush.
    • The sea overwhelmed their enemies. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 78:53:
    • In December 1939 the Soviet Union attacked Finland with overwhelming force.
  3. To overpower emotionally.
    • Theon Greyjoy is the most well developed character on that stage, and the action comes down to him. Euron, with Yara underneath his ax, goads Theon into attack. But Theon is overwhelmed by the violence all around him, and instead he jumps overboard. 2017 July 23, Brandon Nowalk, “The great game begins with a bang on Game Of Thrones (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club:
    • He was overwhelmed with guilt.
    • Joy overwhelmed her when she realized that she had won a million dollars.
  4. To cause to surround, to cover.
    • I lay Turpentine all over the same: then I overwhelm a broader pipe about the first 1684, Denis Papin, Instrument to make turpentine penetrate plaster and wood using the airpump:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
o'erwhelm alternative, poetic lexicographic
overwhelms Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
overwhelmed Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
overwhelmed Tense=Past lexicographic
overwhelming Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Antonyms

underwhelm

Deriveds

overwhelmed · overwhelming · overwhelmedness · overwhelmable · overwhelmer

Relateds

whelm

Synonyms

swamp · grip · ravish

Translations (137)

es arrollar (to overpower, crush) · it schiacciare (to overpower, crush) · da overmande (to overpower, crush) · uk зава́лювати (engulf, surge over) · cmn 吞沒 /吞没 (engulf, surge over) · uk розби́ти (to overpower, crush) · enm daunten (to overpower, crush) · pt engolir (engulf, surge over) · nl overweldigen (to overpower, crush) · fi hukuttaa alleen (overpower emotionally) · it emozionare (overpower emotionally) · ms tenggelam (engulf, surge over) · sh preplaviti (overpower emotionally) · nb overvelde (overpower emotionally) · hu úrrá lesz (overpower emotionally) · is altaka (overpower emotionally) · ro înghiți (engulf, surge over) · ca superar (to overpower, crush) · cs uchvátit (overpower emotionally) · ru подавля́ть (to overpower, crush) · or ଅଭିଭୂତ (engulf, surge over) · uk розгроми́ти (to overpower, crush) · cs přemoci (to overpower, crush) · cs přemoci (overpower emotionally) · pl zalewać (engulf, surge over) · cs zmáhat (to overpower, crush) · cs zaplavovat (engulf, surge over) · pl przytłaczać (overpower emotionally) · sa अभिभूत (to overpower, crush) · is gagntaka (overpower emotionally) · it sconvolgere (overpower emotionally) · hu erőt vesz (overpower emotionally) · ota بوغمق (overpower emotionally) · yi אַוועקלייגן (to overpower, crush) · uk переважа́ти (to overpower, crush) · cs zaplavit (engulf, surge over) · pl przytłoczyć (overpower emotionally) · cs zachvátit (overpower emotionally) · mi haukerekere (to overpower, crush) · hu hatalmába kerít (overpower emotionally) · es agobiar (overpower emotionally) · ru зава́ливать (engulf, surge over) · hu túlterhel (to overpower, crush) · ms mengalahkan (to overpower, crush) · it sommergere (engulf, surge over) · fi murskata (to overpower, crush) · uk переванта́жувати (to overpower, crush) · hu elborít (to overpower, crush) · mi taupoki (to overpower, crush) · hu lesújt (overpower emotionally) · nb overvelde (to overpower, crush) · es apabullar (overpower emotionally) · cs pohltit (overpower emotionally) · it sopraffare (overpower emotionally) · cmn 壓垮 /压垮 (overpower emotionally) · cs ochromovat (overpower emotionally) · la obruō (to overpower, crush) · ru разбива́ть (to overpower, crush) · sa अभिभूत (engulf, surge over) · fi häkellyttää (overpower emotionally) · hu legyőz (to overpower, crush) · sv överväldiga (to overpower, crush) · uk приголо́мшувати (overpower emotionally) · cs přemáhat (to overpower, crush) · bg смайвам (overpower emotionally) · uk придуши́ти (to overpower, crush) · sh прерлавити (overpower emotionally) · mi whakatina (engulf, surge over) · de überwältigen (to overpower, crush) · cs zdolávat (to overpower, crush) · pt dominar (overpower emotionally) · fi musertaa (overpower emotionally) · cs ochromit (overpower emotionally) · cs pohlcovat (overpower emotionally) · ht sitèlman chaj (engulf, surge over) · hu elönt (engulf, surge over) · ro copleși (overpower emotionally) · ru захлёстывать (overpower emotionally) · es abrumar (overpower emotionally) · bg заливам (engulf, surge over) · fi vallata (overpower emotionally) · ja 圧倒する (to overpower, crush) · cmn 壓倒 /压倒 (to overpower, crush) · pl ogarnąć (overpower emotionally) · ru переси́ливать (to overpower, crush) · mi āpuru (engulf, surge over) · ar اِسْتَبَدَّ (to overpower, crush) · mi haukerekere (overpower emotionally) · ca atrafegar (overpower emotionally) · hu elönt (overpower emotionally) · ca superar (engulf, surge over) · pt esmagar (to overpower, crush) · mi āpuru (to overpower, crush) · or ଅଭିଭୂତ (to overpower, crush) · ms terharu (overpower emotionally) · bg поразявам (overpower emotionally) · fr envahir (to overpower, crush) · ca superar (overpower emotionally) · hu eláraszt (engulf, surge over) · pt avassalar (to overpower, crush) · ru сокруша́ть (to overpower, crush) · es apabullar (to overpower, crush) · fr accabler (to overpower, crush) · cs zavalit (engulf, surge over) · ms tenggelam (overpower emotionally) · bg разбивам (to overpower, crush) · fr accabler (overpower emotionally) · cs uchvacovat (overpower emotionally) · sh preplaviti (engulf, surge over) · it dominare (to overpower, crush) · mi poke (to overpower, crush) · uk поглина́ти (engulf, surge over) · da overvælde (overpower emotionally) · fr abreuver (engulf, surge over) · cs ohromit (overpower emotionally) · ru поглоща́ть (engulf, surge over) · ru переполня́ть (overpower emotionally) · ru поглощать (overpower emotionally) · ko 압도하다 (to overpower, crush) · pl miażdżyć (to overpower, crush) · nl overmannen (to overpower, crush) · uk перепо́внювати (overpower emotionally) · bg съкрушавам (to overpower, crush) · hi अभिभूत (to overpower, crush) · pt dominar (to overpower, crush) · la obruō (engulf, surge over) · hu elfog (overpower emotionally) · fi hukuttaa (engulf, surge over) · cmn 壓倒 /压倒 (overpower emotionally) · ro copleși (to overpower, crush) · de übermannen (to overpower, crush) · sv överväldiga (overpower emotionally) · cs zachvacovat (overpower emotionally) · cs zdolat (to overpower, crush) · pl ogarniać (overpower emotionally) · it travolgere (overpower emotionally) · hi अभिभूत (engulf, surge over)