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overwhelmingly

C2
adverb

Pronunciation

UK

  • /ˌəʊvəwˈɛlmɪŋli/

US

  • /ˌoʊvərˈwɛlmɪŋli/
  • /ˌoʊvərhˈwɛlmɪŋli/

Description

"Overwhelmingly" describes something so strong that it seems to take over everything else. Imagine standing on a beach during a hurricane: the wind and rain are so powerful that they dominate your senses. It does not just mean "a lot." It means an amount or intensity that feels almost too much to handle.

You might say a candidate won an election "overwhelmingly" if they received a huge majority of votes. Or you might feel overwhelmingly grateful for someone's kindness; it is more than simple thankfulness and becomes a deep, powerful feeling. It often suggests near-universal agreement or support. Think of it as something that pushes everything else aside with its force.

Examples

  1. 1

    Reviews

    The reviews were overwhelmingly positive.

  2. 2

    Voting result

    Voters overwhelmingly rejected the proposal.

  3. 3

    Committee decision

    The committee voted overwhelmingly in favor of the plan.

  4. 4

    Evidence

    The evidence points overwhelmingly to a simple mistake.

  5. 5

    Crowd makeup

    The crowd was overwhelmingly young, with only a few older guests.

  6. 6

    Survey response

    At the end of the survey, students overwhelmingly said they wanted more speaking practice.

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • overwhelminglyadverb