What does overpower mean?
Overpower is a verb meaning to overcome, overwhelm, or neutralize someone or something. The word commonly describes a person or force with greater physical strength, such as a team overpowering its opponents, but it is also used for intense emotions, sounds, sensations, and abstract influences: an experience can overpower someone’s judgment, while a strong signal can overpower a weak one. In these contexts, the action is not necessarily violent; it means that one force or effect becomes so strong that it overwhelms resistance or control. The word has a firm, decisive tone and can suggest both physical dominance and emotional or psychological intensity. “Overpowering” is its common adjective form and is especially useful for describing a presence, emotion, smell, or sensation that is difficult to ignore or withstand.
verbTo overcome or overwhelm someone or something by having greater strength, power, influence, or emotional intensity. It can also mean to suppress or neutralize a force or reaction.
- To overcome or overwhelm someone or something through greater strength, force, or influence.
- To suppress, neutralize, or render ineffective a feeling, force, signal, or opposing action.
- To affect someone so strongly that they lose composure or control.
"The sudden noise overpowered her concentration."
"The stronger team overpowered its opponents in the second half."
"He tried to suppress his anger, but the memory overpowered him."
A single overwhelming presence can command attention and silence everything around it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does overpower come from?
Overpower is formed in English from the prefix over- and the word power. Its development reflects the older sense of using superior force or influence to overcome resistance. It is related to the wider family power, powerful, powerless, and empower, all of which share the same fundamental idea of strength, capacity, or authority.
Related word forms
How overpower is actually used
The word is relatively formal but widely understood. It is stronger and more vivid than simply “beat” or “defeat” when referring to physical force, and it is often used for an emotion, sensation, or influence that becomes impossible to resist.
Easily confused with overpower
To overpower means to overcome someone or something through greater strength or intensity, whereas to overrule means to reject or override a decision or authority.
To overpower emphasizes the defeat or neutralization of resistance, while to overwhelm often emphasizes an intense or excessive effect.