different between repress vs overwhelm

English

Etymology 1

Ultimately from Latin repressus, the perfect passive participle of reprim? (“I repress”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???p??s/
• Rhymes: -?s

Verb

repress (third-person singular simple present represses, present participle repressing, simple past and past participle repressed)

1. (transitive) To forcefully prevent an upheaval from developing further.

2. (transitive, by extension) To check; to keep back.

Synonyms

• (forcefully preventing an upheaval from developing): to crush; to quell; to subdue; to suppress
• (to keep back): to restrain; to hold back

Related terms

• repression
• repressive

Translations

Etymology 2

re- +? press

Verb

repress (third-person singular simple present represses, present participle repressing, simple past and past participle repressed)

1. To press again.

   to repress a vinyl record

Noun

repress (plural represses)

1. A record pressed again; a repressing.

Anagrams

• Presser, presser

English

Etymology

From Middle English overwhelmen, equivalent to over- +? whelm.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /???v????lm/, /???v??w?lm/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?o?v????lm/, /?o?v??w?lm/
• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /?ov????lm/
• Rhymes: -?lm

Verb

overwhelm (third-person singular simple present overwhelms, present participle overwhelming, simple past and past participle overwhelmed)

1. To engulf, surge over and submerge.

   Synonym: swamp

2. To overpower, crush.

   In December 1939 the Soviet Union attacked Finland with overwhelming force.

   • The sea overwhelmed their enemies.

3. To overpower emotionally.
4. To cause to surround, to cover.

   1684, Denis Papin, Instrument to make turpentine penetrate plaster and wood using the airpump

   • I lay Turpentine all over the same: then I overwhelm a broader pipe about the first

Derived terms

• overwhelming

Related terms

• whelm

Antonyms

• underwhelm

Translations

Noun

overwhelm (plural overwhelms)

1. The state or condition of being overwhelmed.

See also

• too many balls in the air