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Overthrow vs Overwhelm - What's the difference?

overthrow | overwhelm |

As verbs the difference between overthrow and overwhelm

is that overthrow is to throw down to the ground, to overturn or overthrow can be (intransitive) to throw (something) so that it goes too far while overwhelm is to engulf, surge over and submerge.

As a noun overthrow

is a removal, especially of a ruler or government, by force or threat of force or overthrow can be (sports) a throw that goes too far.

overthrow

English

Etymology 1

From .

Verb

  • To throw down to the ground, to overturn.
  • * 1526 , William Tyndale, trans. Bible , John II:
    • And he made a scourge of smale cordes, and drave them all out off the temple, bothe shepe and oxen, and powred doune the changers money, and overthrue their tables.
  • * Jeremy Taylor
    • His wife overthrew the table.
  • To bring about the downfall of (a government, etc.), especially by force.
    • I hate the current government, but not enough to want to overthrow them.
  • * Dryden
    • When the walls of Thebes he overthrew .
  • * Shakespeare
    • [Gloucester] that seeks to overthrow religion.
    Derived terms
    * overthrowal

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A removal, especially of a ruler or government, by force or threat of force.
  • *
    • What then must we do? Why, work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrow of the human race!
    Hypernyms
    * (removal by force) downfall
    Coordinate terms
    * (removal by force) collapse

    Etymology 2

    Verb

  • (intransitive) To throw (something) so that it goes too far.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (sports) A throw that goes too far.
    • He overthrew first base, for an error.
  • (cricket) A run scored by the batting side when a fielder throws the ball back to the infield, whence it continues to the opposite outfield.

    • Quotations

    * * (seeCites)

    overwhelm

    English

    Verb

  • To engulf, surge over and submerge.
    • The dinghy was overwhelmed by the great wave.
  • To overpower, crush.
    • In December 1939 the Soviet Union attacked Finland with overwhelming force.
  • * Bible, Psalms lxxviii. 53
    • The sea overwhelmed their enemies.
  • To overpower emotionally.
    • He was overwhelmed with guilt.
    Joy overwhelmed her when she realized that she had won a million dollars.
  • To cause to surround, to cover.
    • (Papin)

    Derived terms

    * overwhelming

    Related terms

    * whelm

    See also

    * too many balls in the air