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accabler

to overwhelm

verb a-ka-BLEH Rare
Mind & Emotions Mental States

Origin: Old French 'caable' (siege engine, catapult)

Also means

to burden

Usage Note

Accabler conveys being weighed down physically or emotionally: accablé de travail (overwhelmed with work), accablé par la chaleur (overcome by the heat), accabler quelqu'un d'accusations (to heap accusations on someone). The adjective accablant means crushing or overwhelming, as in une chaleur accablante (oppressive heat) or des preuves accablantes (overwhelming evidence).

Examples

"La chaleur accable les passants."

Natural Translation

The heat overwhelms passers-by.

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