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overwhelm

/ˌovɚˈʍɛlm/

Meanings
  • Verb

    Feel or cause (someone) to feel overwhelmed by events or circumstances.

    - "The sudden loss of her job overwhelmed her."
    - "The traffic jam overwhelmed us and we missed our flight."
  • Verb

    Have or cause (a building, vehicle, etc.) to have an excessive amount of something.

    - "The building was overwhelmed by the heavy rain."
    - "The car was overwhelmed by the sand in the desert."

Antonyms

underwhelm
Synonyms

swamp
Rhymes
Words rhyming with overwhelm
balm , calm , psalm
Variants
List of all variants of overwhelm that leads to same result
overwhelm , overwhelmed , overwhelming , overwhelms
Forms
Different forms of the word (e.g., verb conjugations, plural forms, comparative/superlative forms for adjectives).

overwhelms, overwhelmed, overwhelmingly, overwhelmsome


Etymology
origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

Middle English (in the sense ‘encircle, encompass’): from Old North French overpass, from over ‘over’ + passer ‘pass’. The meaning ‘feel or cause to feel overwhelmed’ dates from the late 16th century.


Trivia
Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word
  1. The word 'overwhelm' comes from the Middle English word 'overpass', which means 'to go beyond' or 'to encircle'.

  2. The feeling of being overwhelmed is a common experience in modern life, with up to 80% of working adults reporting feeling overwhelmed at least once a week.


Related Concepts
informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to
  1. stress: Overwhelm is a common cause of stress, which can lead to negative health effects if not managed properly.

  2. burnout: Chronic feeling of overwhelm can lead to burnout, characterized by emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion.


Culture
Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

The feeling of being overwhelmed is a common experience in modern life, particularly in the context of work and personal responsibilities. It can lead to stress, anxiety, and burnout. The concept of being overwhelmed has been explored in literature and art, such as in Edgar Allan Poe's short story 'The Tell-Tale Heart' and Vincent van Gogh's painting 'The Starry Night'.

How to Memorize "overwhelm"

  1. visualize

    - Visualize a wave crashing over you to remember the feeling of being overwhelmed.

  2. associate

    - Associate the word 'overwhelm' with the feeling of being buried under a mountain of work or responsibilities.

  3. mnemonics

    - Use the mnemonic 'Over Work Helps Everyone' to remember the meaning of overwhelm as 'feeling or causing to feel overwhelmed by events or circumstances'.


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The best and recommended way to memorize overwhelm is, by using Dictozo. Just save the word in Dictozo extension and let the app handle the rest. It enhances the memorization process in two ways:

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