overwhelming

The word “overwhelming” means so strong, large, or intense that it is hard to resist or cope with. In plain terms, extremely strong or intense, to the point of taking over completely.

“Overwhelming” is pronounced oh-vuh-WEHL-mihng (/ˌoʊvɚˈ(h)wɛlmɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “overwhelming” used in a sentence: “There was overwhelming evidence against the defendant.”

Words with a similar meaning to “overwhelming” include ravishing and sweeping.

The opposite of “overwhelming” — its antonyms — is underwhelming.

“Overwhelming” is an adjective.

“Overwhelming” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

Both describe something so strong that it is hard to resist, and they often overlap. Overpowering is more common for physical forces and sensations, such as smells or heat, while overwhelming is the usual choice for emotions, workloads, and quantities, as in "an overwhelming sense of relief."

No. Although overwhelming describes something so strong, large, or intense that it is hard to cope with, it is frequently positive, as in "overwhelming support" or "an overwhelming victory." The word signals sheer scale or intensity rather than a good or bad outcome.

Overwhelming means so strong, large, or intense that it is hard to resist or cope with. Underwhelming, modelled on overwhelming as its opposite, means failing to impress or falling short of expectations. A response can be overwhelming in scale or underwhelming in its weakness, but not both.