OVERPOWERING Synonyms: 111 Similar and Opposite Words

overpowering 1 of 3

noun

as in dominating

the act or process of bringing someone or something under one's control the overpowering of much of Europe by the Nazis during World War II

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

overpowering

2 of 3

adjective

as in irresistible

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overpowering

3 of 3

verb

present participle of overpower

as in subduing

to bring under one's control by force of arms the invading army overpowered the countryside with lightning speed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in overwhelming

to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress overpowered by fear of the unknown

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of overpowering

Noun

In Michigan’s overpowering run in this tournament, Mara was everywhere. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026 Chavarria was a cult designer at the time—an unsung name on the New York Fashion Week lineup that each season delivered a two-punch of a political statement and a singular sartorial proposition, both often related to his Chicano roots, even if at times the former overpowering the latter. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 23 Jan. 2026 Peppermint and chocolate are a classic combo, but sometimes the mint flavor can taste too artificial or overpowering in baked goods when using an extract, which this recipe forgoes in favor of the peppermint candies. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 26 Nov. 2025 Some people might find the scent overpowering. — Lisa Desantis, Glamour, 18 Nov. 2025

Adjective

The overpowering sound of La Murga — a supporter group that also functions as a brass and bass rally band for the team — blared throughout Q2 Stadium. — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 Beyond coffee, Gottsman said candidates should avoid other distractions or unprofessional impressions by putting away their phones, skipping overpowering fragrances, removing sunglasses from the tops of their heads and avoiding chewing gum. — Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026 Since the inception of Puffy, Combs has been the overpowering narrator of his own story, masterful at marketing himself as whatever shiny new version of himself he’s decided to be. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026 Feller was 23 years old, perhaps the most overpowering pitcher in baseball and entering the prime of a Hall of Fame career. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2026 Durians' overpowering smell is fragrant to those who love it and foul to those who don't. — ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026 The candle has a fresh, citrussy scent, just like its name implies, that’s never too strong or overpowering, even as someone prone to headaches. — Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 July 2026 While Barnes' final outing for the Dodgers proved costly, evaluators have long viewed him as a pitcher capable of providing organizational depth despite lacking overpowering velocity. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 Reliever Grant Taylor pitched two overpowering innings, striking out four while picking up the victory. — Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026

Verb

It’s bottled at a high 63 percent ABV, but the heat is controlled and never overpowering. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2026 That’s likely because Sivan often sings in italics, not bold, allowing his voice to add to the production without overpowering it. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026 The graphic pattern has enough personality to perk up a room without overpowering it. — Vy Yang, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2026 The scent is pleasant, but not overpowering, and the tint is subtle. — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026 Cottage cheese makes beef even juicer without overpowering its flavor. — Emily Laurence Sardinha, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Oct. 2026 The Jets established their new identity by overpowering Tennessee. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026 Every mouthful has crunchy, tangy, creamy and spicy flavors without one overpowering the other. — Justin Brown, AJC.com, 20 Sep. 2026 These brown dresses add warmth and dimension without overpowering your outfit, giving you an elevated, timeless look that’s perfect for everything from travel days to dinner plans. — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for overpowering

Noun

The mood at practice Monday morning was upbeat after such a dominating performance versus Middle Tennessee.

— Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
Florida is one of the best teams in the country and is coming off an absolutely dominating performance against a fellow top-10 team.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of dominating

Adjective

Some of us seem to naturally have this irresistible aliveness, often invigorating those around us.

— Joan M. Cook, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
The lyrics to Musgraves’ fun, flirty tune from this year’s Middle of Nowhere album is an homage to an irresistible, magnetic love.

— Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of irresistible

Verb

The school's head teacher, Krzysztof Ochmanski, was injured while subduing the teenager, officials said.

— James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
The handful of Israeli passengers grappled with the copilot for several minutes before subduing him and binding his hands with the cord from a set of headphones.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of subduing

Verb

But the long gearing also has its benefits in fast driving, allowing full-throttle use without overwhelming the chassis or unsettling the rear end on corner exit.

— Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
Republicans' ace in the hole While Democratic candidates dominate direct donations, Republicans are countering with overwhelming outside spending.

— Luke Fountain, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of overwhelming

Noun

Napoleon Bonaparte, having already lost half a million soldiers in Russia, was still an emperor dreaming of new conquests.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
Columbus, for all his accomplishments in exploration, also had a brutal history of killing, raping, and enslaving natives, and forcing cultural assimilation and Christianity during his conquest of the Americas.

— Mackenzie Chase, The Washington Examiner, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of conquest

Adjective

The necropsy found that Jackie had multiple conditions, including a type of infectious avian flu.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
In the pre-choruses, the chords and background vocals fill the spaces around Swift’s fragmented, stop-start lead vocal, creating an infectious call-and-response flow.

— David Penn, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of infectious

Verb

Before conquering Hollywood, Ali played Division I basketball (standing at six feet four) and released rap albums under the name Prince Ali.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
During the talk, Bardem reflected on a glittering career, from his early life growing up in one of Spain’s most prestigious acting families to winning an Oscar and, this year, finally conquering his fear of the stage.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of conquering

Verb

Overall, climate change is weakening the winds — but won’t save SoCal from devastating fires.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
The region has already been saturated by heavy rain over the past months, and regions like New Mexico and Grand Canyon were hit by devastating floods earlier this month.

— Megan Janetsky, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of devastating

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overpowered

overpowering

overpowers

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“Overpowering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overpowering. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of overpowering

noun

adjective

verb

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