overpower

overpower — verb

1. to bring someone under your control in a fight or struggle because you are stron

1.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to bring someone under your control in a fight or struggle because you are stronger.

Example

Two shop workers overpowered the robber before the police arrived.

pattern: overpower + robber/opponent

Although injured, Hana overpowered her attacker and ran into the street.

main clause shows physical struggle

Common collocations
  • overpower an attacker
  • overpower a guard
  • overpower the robber
  • overpower an opponent
  • overpower somebody in a struggle
Synonyms
  • subdue

    slightly more formal and often used for bringing a violent person under control

  • overcome

    broader and can also refer to defeating problems, not only people

  • beat

    common for winning in contests, with less focus on force and control

  • dominate

    can describe clear control without an actual physical struggle

Antonyms
  • yield to

    to stop resisting and let the other side take control

  • lose to

    used when the other person or team wins

Grammar Patterns

overpower + attacker/guard/opponent

overpower + somebody in a struggle

Usage Note

Usually takes a person or animal as the direct object, often in reports of attacks, arrests, or sporting contests. It suggests physical force more strongly than sense 2.

Common Mistakes

The guard was overpowered from the thief.
The guard was overpowered by the thief.
use 'by' after the passive form.
Hana overpowered against her attacker.
Hana overpowered her attacker.
the person defeated is the direct object.

2. if a smell, feeling, or physical force overpowers someone, it becomes too strong

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

if a smell, feeling, or physical force overpowers someone, it becomes too strong for that person to bear, leaving them faint, sick, or unable to act normally.

Example

Inside the tiny kitchen, the gas smell overpowered Mia within seconds.

active pattern: smell overpowered somebody

At the funeral, Mr. Lee was overpowered by grief.

usual pattern: be overpowered by emotion

Common collocations
  • be overpowered by grief
  • be overpowered by smoke
  • be overpowered by a smell
  • be overpowered by heat
  • a wave of nausea overpowered her
Synonyms
  • overwhelm

    the closest everyday word for a feeling or force that is too much to handle

  • overcome

    common in the passive for grief, smoke, heat, or exhaustion

  • disable

    focuses more on stopping action and less on the intensity of the feeling

Antonyms
  • withstand

    to remain able to act despite pressure, heat, or pain

  • recover from

    to return to normal after being strongly affected

Grammar Patterns

be overpowered by + smell/emotion/smoke

smell/feeling + overpower + somebody

Usage Note

Usually appears in the passive with 'by' after a strong feeling, smell, smoke, or heat. Distinguish from sense 1: here the force does not fight you directly but affects your body or mind so strongly that normal action becomes difficult.

Common Mistakes

Mia was overpowered of the gas smell.
Mia was overpowered by the gas smell.
use 'by' with the passive pattern.
The smoke overpowered to the miners.
The smoke overpowered the miners.
in the active pattern, the affected people are the direct object.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Overpower stresses winning control by stronger force, especially in a fight, attack, or violent struggle. Subdue is slightly more formal and is common in police, military, and news contexts when a dangerous person is brought under control. Overcome is broader: it can mean defeating a person, but it also works for fear, illness, or other difficulties. Beat is the most everyday choice for games and contests, with less focus on physical control. Dominate often means having clear power over someone, sometimes without direct force. You can overpower a robber, subdue a prisoner, overcome an opponent, beat the other team, or dominate the match from the start.

overpower ↗subdueovercome ↗beat ↗dominate ↗

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Overpower was formed in English from over and power. The idea was originally having more force than another person. Later, the verb was also used more figuratively for feelings, smells, smoke, or heat that are so strong that a person cannot cope normally.