overshadow
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to be more important or significant by comparison.
For years he overshadowed his brother.
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to cast a shadow over; cover with shadows, clouds, darkness, etc.; darken or obscure.
clouds overshadowing the moon.
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to make sad or hang heavily over; cast a pall on.
a disappointment that overshadowed their last years.
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Archaic. to shelter or protect.
verb
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to render insignificant or less important in comparison
-
to cast a shadow or gloom over
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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overshadowsimple
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overshadowssimple
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have overshadowedperfect
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has overshadowedperfect
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am overshadowingprogressive
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are overshadowingprogressive
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is overshadowingprogressive
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have been overshadowingperfect progressive
-
has been overshadowingperfect progressive
Past
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overshadowedsimple
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had overshadowedperfect
-
was overshadowingprogressive
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were overshadowingprogressive
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had been overshadowingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overshadow
before 900; Middle English overshadewen, Old English ofersceadwian. See over-, shadow
Explanation
To overshadow is to appear more important or larger than something else. Your sister's tendency to interrupt and speak loudly sometimes overshadows what a caring person she is. You can use this verb in a very literal way, to mean "cast a shadow over something smaller," like the enormous oak tree in your yard that overshadows your small house. It's also possible to figuratively overshadow, like when your worry about next week's math test overshadows the happiness you feel waking up to a snow day. One person can overshadow another too, when they appear more interesting, successful, or attractive.
Vocabulary lists containing overshadow
You Call This Democracy?
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Selection Vocabulary 1, Unit 2
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Death on the River of Doubt
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
This was quite the moment to elevate the sun-kissed event above the DeChambeau controversy which had threatened to overshadow the week.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
The relentless positivity might serve as a corrective for a country where, for some, anger and disenchantment has come to overshadow everything, including an everyday decency that never actually disappeared.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
But the chaotic geopolitical scene is likely to overshadow such considerations at this year's meeting.
From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 2026
At the time, the Iaquinta fight was eclipsed by the exact kind of theatrics that the UFC values and that increasingly overshadow the sport itself.
From Slate ● Jun. 14, 2026
Pong resolved that he would build up a mountain of good deeds to overshadow his bad ones.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
“It’s unfortunate for our innovation-driven industry that country of origin often overshadows the technological breakthroughs solving real-world problems,” said a DJI spokesperson Friday in response to a query about the U.S.-China rivalry at Everest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Read: Rocket Lab’s stock slides as yet another rocket delay overshadows ‘record year’
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 31, 2026
While El Barbry's income is growing, Willment explains the success of streamers who have built audiences "overshadows" the fact that "thousands, if not millions of people" are earning nothing, trying to break through.
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2026
In an August quarterly earnings call, Beyond Chief Executive Ethan Brown said the shortened name “provides for reduced emphasis on facsimile, a now-complicated frame that overshadows the real, high-quality protein offerings we provide to consumers.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2026
The Newton of rhetoric—the one person whose work in this department overshadows the whole history of the subject—was, of course, Aristotle.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
But the company’s growing AI momentum was overshadowed by Presence.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
Foreign ministers from fuel-stressed Southeast Asia called for freedom of navigation in international straits on Thursday as they wrapped a week of meetings largely overshadowed by the US-Iran war.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Looking back now, whatever embarrassment Peters feels about those dance videos has been overshadowed by his fond memories of playing for the Bananas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Two of the Invictus events had already been completely overshadowed, taking away attention from his work supporting injured military veterans.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Over them was a lane of pale-blue sky, around them the dark overshadowed River, and before them black, shutting out the sun, the hills of Emyn Muil, in which no opening could be seen.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Corning issued lighter-than-expected third-quarter sales guidance, overshadowing a better-than-expected second quarter that was driven by artificial-intelligence demand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
"I can no longer get my message out because another debate is overshadowing everything else," Wegner said Friday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
The Dodgers’ recent bullpen problems persisted in a 6-4 loss Sunday, overshadowing a bounce-back effort from Emmet Sheehan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2026
A bad day for Adobe’s stock got even worse on Thursday after the company said another top executive was leaving, overshadowing an upbeat earnings report.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026
There was a new pain, a scalding pain in my hand that was overshadowing everything else.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
