English · Word Candidate

overwhelming

/ˌəʊvəˈwɛlmɪŋ/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: overwhelmings

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Overpowering, staggering, or irresistibly strong.

Adjective

Examples

The vote was taken at once, and it was agreed by an overwhelming majority that rats were comrades.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Very great or intense.

Adjective

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A situation of being overwhelmed.

Noun

Examples

They have centuries of premodern experience in coping with being overwhelmed in multiple ways—not only by God, but also by other overwhelmings that have always been part of the human condition, such as disease, famine, war […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “overwhelming” mean?

Overpowering, staggering, or irresistibly strong.

Is “overwhelming” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.