English–German
“overwhelm” in German
Pronunciation
IPA/bəˈfalən/
Example
Plötzlich befiel ihn große Angst.
Suddenly, great fear overwhelmed him.
How to say “overwhelm” in German
“Overwhelm” in German is befallen.
A sudden force or illness falls upon someone and takes hold, leaving that person strongly affected.
Example sentences with befallen
Die Ernte wurde von Schädlingen befallen.
The harvest was infested with pests.
Tips for using befallen
- Befallen takes the affected person as an accusative object, as in "Plötzlich befiel ihn große Angst," while the affliction is the subject.
Other German words for “overwhelm”
Die Arbeit überfordert mich manchmal.
The work sometimes overwhelms me.
Die Aufgabe überwältigt mich.
The task overwhelms me.