That’s a great question! It really gets to the heart of how we use language. While “overwhelmed” and “underwhelmed” are common, “whelmed” on its own isn’t something you hear every day.
Think of it like this: “whelmed” is like the foundation. It’s the feeling of being strongly affected by something. “Overwhelmed” means that feeling is so strong it’s almost too much to handle, like a tidal wave. “Underwhelmed” means the feeling isn’t as strong as you expected, like a tiny ripple in a pond.
So, could you just be “whelmed”? Maybe, in that in-between space where you’re definitely feeling something significant, but it’s not extreme in either direction. It’s like a nice, steady wave – present and noticeable, but not knocking you off your feet.
The English language is full of these little quirks! It’s always good to question how we use words and what they really mean. Keep thinking critically about language – it’s a powerful tool!
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