Snowed Under Meaning, Examples, Synonyms, and Quiz

The meaning of the idiom snowed under encompasses multiple interpretations and can be conveyed in diverse manners. Literally, it denotes the act of burying or enveloping something or someone with snow. Figuratively, it describes situations or challenges that are so overwhelming that they surpass a person’s capacity to cope. 

Additionally, “snow under” can signify a decisive victory, where something or someone is defeated by a substantial margin. Lastly, it refers to a circumstance where a person faces an excessive workload, causing difficulties in managing everything.

The term “Snow under” was initially coined in 1880, appearing in a newspaper report to describe the situation where everything was covered in snow after a severe blizzard. During that time, the heavy snowfall concealed people, cars, and houses entirely, leaving only a sea of whiteness visible. 

The journalist reporting the event in the US Daily described it as “The city was snowed under.”  Subsequently, the phrase took on another meaning, referring to overwhelming paperwork. This connection arose from the similarity between white snow and white paper, leading to the analogy of paperwork piling up on a bureaucrat’s desk resembling snow accumulating on a roof.

Usage with Examples

Here are some examples of the use of the idiom “Snow Under” in sentences:

• The workload my boss keeps assigning is overwhelming, and I feel snowed under. 
• The Republican candidate faced a substantial defeat in the election, being snowed under by a margin of 15 to 4. 
• The avalanche kept the skiers snowed under. (Literal example) 
• Jane snowed me under with letters ever since I stopped talking to her. 
• Never snow under your employees unless you intend to terminate some of them.

Also Read: Useful Idioms with Examples, Sentences and Meanings

Synonyms and Similar Words to Snowed Under

Synonyms of the idiom “snowed under” include:

• Inundate,
• Overwhelm,
• Bury under snow,
• Conquer with a significant margin, and 
• Struggle with an excessive workload

Snowed Under Meaning Quiz

He felt snowed under as:

1. His boss gave him a lot of tasks to complete.
2. He had a lot of free time.
3. He had nothing to do. 

Answer: a) His boss gave him a lot of tasks to complete.

Also Read: 150 Common Difficult Idioms with Examples

This was all about the idiom snowed under meaning and examples. Hope you understood the concept where it’s used. For more such blogs, follow Leverage Edu.