To overpower means to defeat or overwhelm someone or something using superior strength, force, or intensity. When a strong wind overpowers a small sailboat, it pushes the boat where the sailor doesn't want to go. When a basketball team overpowers their opponents, they dominate so completely that the other team can barely keep up.

The word often describes physical strength: a large dog might overpower a smaller one in a tug-of-war with a rope toy. But it can also describe other kinds of force. A spicy curry might overpower the other flavors in a dish, making it impossible to taste anything but the heat. A loud trumpet might overpower the violins in an orchestra, drowning them out completely.

Notice that overpower suggests something beyond just winning. It means using such overwhelming force or intensity that resistance becomes nearly impossible. In a close soccer match, one team might win, but in a game where one team overpowers the other, the outcome feels inevitable from the start. Police officers sometimes need to overpower someone who resists arrest, and firefighters work to overpower flames before they spread.

The feeling of being overpowered can be physical, like when someone pins you down, or emotional, like when sadness overpowers your usual cheerfulness after something disappointing happens.