WordGarden.iooverpower
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˌəʊvəpˈaʊə/
US
- /ˌoʊvərˈpaʊər/
Meanings
Verb
to subdue or defeat someone by greater physical force, strength, or numbers
to overwhelm someone so strongly that they lose control, strength, or clear judgment
Beyond the definition
To overpower someone or something means to defeat, control, or overcome them because you are much stronger or more forceful. Imagine a powerful wave hitting a small sandcastle: the wave is simply too strong for the castle to stand. You can overpower an opponent in a fight, or a strong smell can overpower your senses. It usually suggests a clear imbalance, where one side is too strong for the other to resist.
The word "overpower" describes a situation where one force becomes stronger than another and leaves it unable to resist. This is often about physical strength, but it can also describe emotions, smells, sounds, or anything else that feels too strong to handle. Think of a heavy smell in a room that overpowers every other scent, or a sudden feeling of fear that overpowers someone's calm.
We often see it used in contexts involving conflict: "The guard was overpowered by two attackers." In that kind of sentence, it means someone was defeated or physically controlled by greater force. But the word also extends beyond direct violence. A loud flavor can overpower a meal, bright sunlight can overpower a weak light indoors, and a rush of emotion can overpower someone's ability to think clearly.
You can also use "overpower" when one thing is so strong that it hides or defeats another thing. "The spicy sauce overpowered the delicate flavor of the fish" means the sauce was so strong that you could no longer notice the fish very well. In the same way, we may say that panic overpowered reason, or that noise overpowered the music.
So whether it is a physical struggle, a strong emotion, or a sensory experience, to overpower means to overcome, control, or drown out something by being much stronger than it.
Examples
- 1
Physical struggle
The guards managed to overpower the attacker and take away his knife.
- 2
Strong smell
The smell of garlic overpowered every other flavor in the sauce.
- 3
Sound balance
The music was too loud and overpowered the actors' voices.
- 4
Emotional reaction
She was overpowered by grief when she heard the news.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Smoke exposure
Two workers were overpowered by smoke before firefighters reached them.
- 6
Sports dominance
The home team overpowered their tired opponents in the final minutes.
- 7
Strong desire
He had an overpowering desire to tell her the truth.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- overpowerverb
Forms
- overpoweredpast tenseverb
- overpowering-ing formverb
- overpowersverb