as in to overwhelm
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

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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 overmaster Passion is an intense, driving or overmastering feeling or conviction. Bird Brown, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, 8 Dec. 2019 Jesus’ Son is about the force of addiction and the only thing that can overmaster it: the ecstatic experience of God. Longreads, 17 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overmaster
Verb
  • The last time Wisconsin held an election for the state’s Supreme Court, Republicans cried foul over the wave of money from out-of-state Democrats that overwhelmed their candidate.
    Reid J. Epstein, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025
  • China could easily find and destroy big assets, and its much larger military force would overwhelm any of these systems that survive an initial attack, leaving Taiwan without offensive firepower or sufficient defenses.
    Jennifer Kavanagh, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Every once in a while, a pitfall of community theater is glimpsed, but only momentarily, and here the heartfelt sense of fun overcomes any little shortcoming.
    Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025
  • This Netflix documentary follows three young Brooklyn sisters who join a community track team and, through their dedication to running (and with the support of their team), strive to overcome homelessness, family trauma, and financial struggles.
    Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Without an effective treatment, the disease could devastate her harvest, leaving her unable to repay her loans or provide for her family.
    Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
  • On Hollywood's biggest night, Colman Domingo led a tequila toast to the resilience of Los Angeles in the wake of the wildfires that devastated the city.
    Jessica Wang, EW.com, 3 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Overmaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overmaster. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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