snowed under

USAGE SUMMARY

"snowed under" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
It is used to describe a situation when someone is overwhelmed with tasks or responsibilities and can not cope with them all. Example: "The waitress was snowed under with orders and had difficulty remembering them all."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

If we had included photographs, the sounds would have been snowed under", wrote Professor Planqué in email.

The Guardian

I've got 17 friends... I'm snowed under".

Independent

You must be snowed under with tweets from the Megatrons.

The Guardian - Music

Already snowed under by emails, but I'll try my damnedest.

The Guardian - Sport

Roads were closed, lifts were shut, even the igloo village was snowed under.

Independent

Mapes is snowed under, and, together with Rather and other CBS employees, she endures the consequences.

The New Yorker

Everyone is snowed under on Monday and busy prepping for the weekend on Friday.

Independent

And fast: be prepared to step on the brakes or get snowed under.

The New York Times

JD 5.15pm: Apologies for the scarce postings this afternoon, but we've been snowed under.

The Guardian - Sport

"I'm snowed under with rhubarb, whatever kind of year it is".

The New Yorker

Farrall promises to translate four more but says she is currently snowed under with edits of her dissertation.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "snowed under" to concisely convey a state of being overwhelmed, especially with work or tasks. It is an easily understood idiom suitable for various contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "snowed under" in highly formal or academic writing. While widely understood, it's an idiom that may be considered too informal for such contexts. Opt for more neutral phrases like "overwhelmed" or "heavily burdened".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "snowed under" functions as an adjective phrase, typically used predicatively to describe a state of being overwhelmed or burdened, primarily with work or tasks. Ludwig provides examples illustrating this usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "snowed under" is a common idiom used to describe being overwhelmed, usually with work or tasks. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread use. While generally appropriate for neutral contexts, it might be too informal for highly formal or academic writing, where alternatives like "overwhelmed" or "heavily burdened" might be more suitable. Analysis of usage patterns reveals that it's most frequently found in news and media sources, followed by formal and business contexts. When using "snowed under", be sure to specify what is causing the feeling of being overwhelmed, typically using the preposition "with".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

overwhelmed with work

Focuses specifically on the aspect of having too much work.

buried in work

Emphasizes the feeling of being deeply immersed and possibly trapped by work.

swamped with tasks

Highlights the feeling of being flooded or inundated by numerous tasks.

bogged down

Suggests being slowed or prevented from progressing due to many obligations.

up to my neck in

An idiomatic expression indicating being deeply involved in something, often negatively.

inundated with requests

Specifically indicates being flooded with incoming requests or demands.

under a mountain of

Emphasizes the large quantity and burdensome nature of responsibilities.

pressed for time

Focuses on the lack of sufficient time to complete tasks.

stretched thin

Highlights the feeling of having resources spread too thinly across multiple demands.

overburdened with duties

Highlights the excessive burden of responsibilities.

FAQs

How can I use "snowed under" in a sentence?

You can use "snowed under" to describe a situation where someone has too much work or too many responsibilities. For example, "I can't make it to the party tonight, I'm "snowed under" with work."

What can I say instead of "snowed under"?

You can use alternatives like "overwhelmed with work", "buried in work", or "swamped with tasks" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "snowed under with"?

Yes, it is correct to say "snowed under with". The "with" specifies what the person is overwhelmed by, such as "I'm snowed under with emails".

What's the difference between "snowed under" and "stressed out"?

"Snowed under" specifically refers to being overwhelmed with a large quantity of tasks or responsibilities, while "stressed out" refers to the emotional and mental strain caused by difficult circumstances, which may or may not involve a large workload. They can be related, but they are not interchangeable.