as in to overwhelm
to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress
the news so whelmed them that they were stunned into silence
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whelm
You’ll definitely be whelmed by the legit chemistry between Kat and Patrick, rebel teens who steal the show with their sweetness and dazzling wits.
—
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 12 May 2023
Its reputation is built on the backs of 3-series gone by, as this is the first ever 3 to merely whelm us.
—Alexander Stoklosa, Car and Driver, 26 July 2017
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 12 May 2023
Its reputation is built on the backs of 3-series gone by, as this is the first ever 3 to merely whelm us.
—Alexander Stoklosa, Car and Driver, 26 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whelm
Verb
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Local permitting departments, overwhelmed by the demand, are struggling to keep up—delaying the return of many residents.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
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Implementing spaced repetition techniques—revisiting challenging concepts at strategic intervals—further enhances retention without overwhelming your cognitive resources.—
Dr. Aviva Legatt,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Republicans will need Democratic support to overcome a 60-vote threshold to be able to pass the bill in the Senate.—
John Parkinson,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2025
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Prior court decisions and guidance from the Department of Justice have set up hurdles to overcome before the court is forced to overpass a reporter’s privilege to protect sources.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Amanda Seyfried stars in this limited series as a police officer investigating the murders of three young women in a Philadelphia neighborhood devastated by opioid addiction.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2025
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The deadly storm devastated parts of Western North Carolina with storm damage and catastrophic flooding.—
Simone Jasper,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whelm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whelm. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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