Nota: A tradução desta entrada está atualmente em revisão de qualidade, portanto parte do conteúdo é exibida temporariamente apenas em inglês.
Este verbete ainda não foi traduzido para o seu idioma, portanto o original é exibido abaixo.
overawe
This term describes a psychological state where a person is rendered speechless or intimidated by a perceived superiority. It blends the feeling of deep respect with a touch of fear, often occurring in the presence of extreme wealth, high social rank, or immense natural power. It is more intense than simply being impressed, as it implies a temporary loss of confidence or agency in the face of grandeur.
In modern usage, the word is frequently encountered in its passive form, overawed, to describe a reaction to an intimidating environment or personality. While it can be positive in the sense of profound admiration, it typically carries a connotation of imbalance, where the subject feels small or insignificant compared to the object of their awe.
Meanings
Examples
The sheer scale of the cathedral tended to overawe every visitor who entered.
I was completely overawed by the presence of the royal family.
Do not let his reputation overawe you during the interview.
The dragon's roar was enough to overawe the entire army.
She felt overawed by the sudden attention of the crowd.
The dictator used public executions to overawe the population into submission.
The dictator used public executions to overawe the population into submission.
I hope I dont overawe the new recruits with too much technical jargon.
The silence of the ancient ruins seemed to overawe the explorers.