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to overload

to overload

93 3.7
To put too much into something so it cannot work properly
  • verb
  • /ˌoʊvərˈloʊd/
translation icon : sobrecargar
  • The teacher realized that she might overload her students with too much homework.
  • overload someone with information
  • become overloaded
  • avoid overloading

And so it turns it on and then stops it from overloading.

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Examples

  • It can overload the system.

  • With thousands of videos available, it's easy to be overloaded with resources.

    Academic text (2007)
  • But at the same time, you do not want to overload skin.

  • A little bit of oil or just overload it with the cream.

  • But in real life I find that when people overload their skin with skin care, it makes the life of the foundation much shorter.

  • To manage both the course material and the media may overload both instructors and students.

    Academic text (1990)
  • To ask teachers to squeeze one more important task into an already overloaded day is unreasonable.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Ahead of them on the track is an overloaded wagon with barrels marked "TNT."

    Fiction book (2001)
  • If you overload the device with apps, it will start to slow down.

  • Driving with an overloaded truck can be dangerous and lead to accidents.

Synonyms

to overwhelm
vsto overload
88 3.9

Give someone too much work or problems so they cannot cope

describes putting too much into or on things, not only causing stress
to burden
vsto overload
77 3.7

To give someone a heavy load or a difficult task

is specifically about putting too much into or on something causing dysfunction
to overextend
vsto overload
19 6.3

To try to do more than you can handle and cause strain

involves amount added to something rather than the personal choice to take on too much
to overburden
vsto overload
12 5.9

To give someone too much work or responsibility

is the general act of putting too much into or on something
to overwork
vsto overload
2 4.4

To use something too much so it loses its quality or value

focuses on putting too much into or on something rather than long use
to overcharge
vsto overload
2 4.3

To put too much weight on something so it becomes unsafe

is not mainly about safety but about causing failure to work properly
to overdrive
vsto overload
1 6.3

To make someone work too hard until they are tired

is about overfilling or overloading rather than primarily pushing effort limits
to overstretch
vsto overload
1 5.5

To push someone or something beyond what they can manage

is about exceeding capacity by adding too much into or on something
to swamp someone with tasks
vsto overload
  • Informal
6.3

To give someone more work than they can do

refers more broadly to adding too much into or on something, not just tasks
to overfatigue
vsto overload
8.4

To make someone very tired so they cannot work or think well

is about overfilling or overloading rather than only causing tiredness

Antonyms

26 2.5

To make a load or worry feel less heavy

Compounds

iron overload
  • Specialized
5.8

Too much iron in the body that can damage organs

How Loaded

to overload
93 3.7
to overfill
3 3.9
to cram
16 3.2
to pack
278 2.3
to fill
1.0
to put
1.0

Surface Forms

overload infinitive
overloaded past
overloaded past participle
overloading present participle
overloads third person singular

Morphology

overload = load (transparent) = over + load

The meaning of 'overload' as putting too much into or on something is directly derived from 'over' + 'load'.

Etymology

Overload combines over- 'too much' and load 'to put things on or in something', just like when you 'load' a truck. So to overload someone or something is to give it more than it can carry or handle, which can make it stop working properly.