Library / English Dictionary

WHELM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli

Synonyms:

overcome; overpower; overtake; overwhelm; sweep over; whelm

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "whelm" is one way to...):

arouse; elicit; enkindle; evoke; fire; kindle; provoke; raise (call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "whelm"):

devastate (overwhelm or overpower)

clutch; get hold of; seize (affect)

kill (overwhelm with hilarity, pleasure, or admiration)

benight (overtake with darkness or night)

knock out (overwhelm with admiration)

stagger (astound or overwhelm, as with shock)

lock (hold fast (in a certain state))

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

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