Overborne

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Carried away or subdued by an overwhelming force or influence
2. Being completely overcome or dominated by external pressure or authority
3. Succumbing to a powerful force or overpowering emotion to a significant degree

Etymology: "Overborne" is the past form of "overbear," so it is the same word in its past tense and past participle. The verb comes from Middle English "overberen," formed from "over" and "bear." Its core idea is physical: to bear down on something from above, pressing it under. That literal weight-and-pressure sense is what the later figurative uses grow from. From that pressing-down image, the verb came to mean overpowering someone or something by force, will, or influence, and eventually an emotion or force that overwhelms a person's judgment or resistance. "Overborne" therefore describes someone who has been pushed down, whether by a stronger opponent, a persuasive argument, or a surge of feeling.

Synonyms: overwhelmed, overcome