overwhelmed
adjective
over·whelmed
ˌō-vər-ˈ(h)welmd 
1
: overcome by force or numbers
Some jurisdictions are so overwhelmed that they are experimenting with routing school-children into specially designed courts that would keep first-time offenders from being saddled with an arrest record.—
Gary Fields and John R. Emshwiller
Gary Fields and John R. EmshwillerOnly three Coast Guard rescue helicopters had managed to get into the air, and each was already overwhelmed by dozens of calls for help.—Christopher Cooper and Robert Block
Christopher Cooper and Robert Block"We were overwhelmed," said John Robinson, the Rams' coach. "Clearly dominated."—Paul Zimmerman
Paul Zimmerman2
: completely overcome or overpowered by thought or feeling
When he first appeared in full regalia, I was overwhelmed.—Jane Davison
Jane DavisonSuddenly he felt overwhelmed by a wash of terror.—Holly Black
Holly BlackHe finds that the institutions that might compensate for what overwhelmed parents are unable to do are themselves undermined by stingy public policies.—Lisbeth B. Schorr
Lisbeth B. SchorrExamples of overwhelmed in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Local roads and highways in states including Texas, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Vermont and New Hampshire were overwhelmed with eclipse chasers, many of whom were from out of state.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
Administration officials have, however, noted that any executive action would not replace the need for Congress to reform an overwhelmed immigration system that was last updated in the 1990s.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2024
Produced by Disney’s 20th Television, Will Trent centers on its title character (Ramón Rodríguez), a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent whose unconventional background — he was raised in Atlanta’s overwhelmed foster care system — gives him unique insight into his cases.
—Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024
Some lawmakers complained back then about being overwhelmed with phone calls.
—Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
Jimmy Lee Rec Center were overwhelmed with some 900 calls in short order.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 1 Apr. 2024
Seeing an eclipse can sometimes cause people to feel overwhelmed with emotion, and journaling can be a good way to process those feelings.
—Anna Gordon, TIME, 30 Mar. 2024
The church, which is about a 5-minute drive from the Mexican border, also served as a crucial support system for people who crossed into the United States, often fatigued, overwhelmed and with little to no belongings.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 24 Mar. 2024
Across the Bay Area, overwhelmed mental health workers are reaching a breaking point.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2024
John Bacon, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
Administration officials have, however, noted that any executive action would not replace the need for Congress to reform an overwhelmed immigration system that was last updated in the 1990s.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2024
Produced by Disney’s 20th Television, Will Trent centers on its title character (Ramón Rodríguez), a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent whose unconventional background — he was raised in Atlanta’s overwhelmed foster care system — gives him unique insight into his cases.
—Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Apr. 2024
Some lawmakers complained back then about being overwhelmed with phone calls.
—Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
Jimmy Lee Rec Center were overwhelmed with some 900 calls in short order.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 1 Apr. 2024
Seeing an eclipse can sometimes cause people to feel overwhelmed with emotion, and journaling can be a good way to process those feelings.
—Anna Gordon, TIME, 30 Mar. 2024
The church, which is about a 5-minute drive from the Mexican border, also served as a crucial support system for people who crossed into the United States, often fatigued, overwhelmed and with little to no belongings.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 24 Mar. 2024
Across the Bay Area, overwhelmed mental health workers are reaching a breaking point.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overwhelmed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near overwhelmed
Cite this Entry
“Overwhelmed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overwhelmed. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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