as in main
coming before all others in importance
a matter that should be given overmastering priority by the incoming administration
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in overwhelming
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
the student was overmastered by the stress of taking the college placement test and broke down crying
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overmastering
Adjective
-
Greenwood never played for his boyhood club again, despite the charges being dropped in February 2023 when the prosecution’s main witness withdrew her cooperation.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
31 May 2025 -
In a statement on social media, the hospital said the attack resulted in severe damage to its main building.—
Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports,
Arkansas Online,
31 May 2025
Verb
-
An adventurous mix of fabrics brings warmth to the primary suite, without overwhelming the space.—
Kristen Flanagan,
Architectural Digest,
31 Mar. 2025
-
That’s overwhelming even for the most experienced investor.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Stewart has been quietly dominant to start the season, averaging 18.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists shooting 54.1% from the field.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
2 June 2025
-
Nathan struggled in limited playoff action, but few closers in MLB history have been as consistently dominant in the regular season.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
Mercantilism had been the predominant economic model of the prior two centuries, advocating for trade surpluses with all nations.—
Sarah Keohane Williamson,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
-
Fedde was using a steady four-pitch mix, with his sinker being the predominant pitch.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
10 May 2025
Adjective
-
There are two primary types of retail pharmacies: chain pharmacies, which are operated by larger companies, and independent pharmacies, which are often locally owned.—
Lucas Dufalla,
Arkansas Online,
24 May 2025
-
The primary exception is that every third update does require a reboot, that enables a fuller update that can get to the parts of your PC a hot patch might not reach.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.—
Mark Morgan,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
-
Cruise emerged as Hollywood's foremost advocate for the theatrical experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, when theaters across the globe were staring down an uncertain future.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
There are not enough smart Americans alone to remain supreme in scientific research.—
Jim Nowlan,
Chicago Tribune,
26 May 2025
-
Iran’s supreme leader has also downplayed the prospect of an imminent agreement with the U.S. on its nuclear capabilities, despite Trump’s public optimism.—
Brett Samuels,
The Hill,
21 May 2025
Adjective
-
This was bricolage in the mode of postmodernism, to use a term that Jencks had a leading role in propagating, defining it in multiple competing and overlapping (some would say maddening) ways.—
Glenn Adamson,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
-
Shue returned to acting in the 2010s and has had leading roles on several shows — including Super Pumped, On the Verge, The Boys and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation — as well as in films such as Battle of the Sexes (2019), Greyhound (2020) and The Good Half (2023).—
Keith Langston,
People.com,
1 June 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Overmastering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overmastering. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share