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
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Recent Examples of overmaster
Passion is an intense, driving or overmastering feeling or conviction.
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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
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
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Almost any bitters can work, but Barton notes that lighter, fruit-forward flavors—like cherry, orange, or chocolate—tend to complement coffee best, while overly smoky or savory bitters can overwhelm it.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
27 Oct. 2025
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As the storm nears land, powerful winds drive that water ashore, creating walls of water that can overwhelm buildings and infrastructure.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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How Tielemans overcame early toils is often used as a source of encouragement by new additions who seem peripheral at first.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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Her mission is to be an example of overcoming adversity, reminding the world that true success comes from working with love, respect, and shining without dimming the light of others.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Then, heat waves in 2024 devastated some northern colonies that had demonstrated more resilience.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
23 Oct. 2025
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This happened when Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina last year.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overmaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overmaster. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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