How to pronounce overwhelmed
Say it like oh-ver-WELMD. Overwhelmed has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (WELMD).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce overwhelmed. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- oh
- ver
- WELMD
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Overwhelmed pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ohGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- verKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- WELMDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of overwhelmed
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: oh-vuh-WELMD.
What does overwhelmed mean?
- Emotionally overpowered.“completely overwhelmed”
- Carrying a metaphorical burden greater than one can comfortably handle.“He felt overwhelmed by the workload.”
- simple past and past participle of overwhelm How to pronounce overwhelm
Where does overwhelmed come from?
From overwhelm + -ed.
Questions about saying overwhelmed
How do you pronounce overwhelmed?
Say oh-ver-WELMD. The American pronunciation is /ˌoʊvɚˈwɛlmd/. In British English it is /ˌəʊvəˈwɛlmd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in overwhelmed?
Overwhelmed has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (WELMD). Broken into parts: oh · ver · WELMD.
Is overwhelmed pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˌəʊvəˈwɛlmd/ (oh-vuh-WELMD).