OVERLOAD Synonyms: 45 Similar and Opposite Words

overload 1 of 2

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈlōd

Definition of overload

as in to load

to fill or load to excess try not to overload your backpack, or you could end up with back problems

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

overload

2 of 2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of overload

Verb

Tiger Chung cofounded the brand Tigerstrolling with his wife and its couture debut was overloaded with imagination and sophisticated funkiness, with dramatic silhouettes made from everyday objects. — Denni Hu, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026 The economic slowdown, combined with unemployment hitting a four-year high, has in recent months sparked a resurgence of anti-migrant rhetoric and vigilante violence targeting Africans who were accused of taking jobs and overloading public services. — semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Noun

Zipping around Tokyo, Kotlyarenko underlines the of-the-moment-ness of his scenario at every turn, but the film is a surprisingly slow ride despite the overload. — Vadim Rizov, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026 The live arrangement replaces the quiet with an overload of bass and percussion. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overload

Recent Examples of Synonyms for overload

Verb

Drones can be seen near the scene of the strike as responders load the injured onto stretchers and into emergency vehicles.

— Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
Florida’s defense, which allowed 211 yards on the ground to Missouri’s backup running back last week, will need to find a new spine (and a better way to load the box).

— Noah White, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of load

Noun

The Coast Guard then escorted the Grace to Progreso, Mexico, where a Mexican Navy inspection team confirmed large quantities of fuel in the ship’s ballast tanks.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
These deals offer partnerships, a ballast in a fractured world.

— Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of ballast

Noun

An idea is floating around to bifurcate parking meter prices, adding a surcharge of 25 to 50 cents an hour for non-Chicagoans who park in the city, according to Ald.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
The new law says surcharge revenue doesn’t count toward that cap.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of surcharge

Verb

In earlier local elections, ballot boxes were stuffed or stolen, and paper ballots were routinely falsified, according to Brazil's electoral authority.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
This puzzle is stuffed with nuance, pleasing crosses and a lot of simply terrific, ridiculously evocative stuff — for example, a jarring assortment of lovely trivia intersecting with some hideous ailments at more than one juncture.

— Caitlin Lovinger, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of stuff

Noun

India accounted for more than half of the increase in the region’s rights fees since 2021, and 64% of all fees is now concentrated in the 12 most valuable rights packages.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Ryan is currently focused on creating greater consistency across Hilton’s perks and benefits packages, which can differ between countries.

— Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of package

Noun

That suffering has intensified with every Israeli bomb dropped on ambulances waiting outside hospitals, every drone strike targeting a residential building or journalist, and every shipment of food aid turned away at a border crossing.

— Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
However, the company said beer depletions, a measure of sales from distributors to retailers and other customers, declined slightly during the quarter, indicating consumer demand was softer than shipment growth suggests.

— Brandon Gomez, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of shipment

Noun

Bricks of cocaine and bales of marijuana washing up on the shore or being found floating at sea is fairly common in the Keys.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026
The schooner remained intact on the island’s Miacomet Beach for two weeks, allowing islanders to save 700 bales of cotton using skids and teams of oxen, records show.

— Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of bale

Browse Nearby Words

overlies

overload

overloaded

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Style

“Overload.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overload. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of overload

verb

noun

Example Sentences

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