abrumar
verbCEFR B2
What does “abrumar” mean in English?
to overwhelm, to overpower
to overwhelm, to overpower (abrumar a alguien — affect someone so strongly that they cannot cope; flood with demands or emotion)
Example sentences
La cantidad de información disponible a veces nos abruma.
The amount of available information sometimes overwhelms us.
Se abrumó con tantas responsabilidades nuevas.
He became overwhelmed by so many new responsibilities.
No te dejes abrumar por los problemas del día a día.
Don't let the daily problems overwhelm you.
How to use it
abrumar means 'to overwhelm' — to burden or overload someone emotionally or with tasks. The subject is usually the thing causing the feeling (el trabajo la abruma = work overwhelms her). The reflexive abrumarse con means 'to become overwhelmed by'.
Common mistake
English 'overwhelm' works as transitive (work overwhelms me); in Spanish, abrumar follows the same pattern but learners sometimes use it reflexively when they should use it transitively.