overseas
Americanadverb
adjective
-
of or relating to passage over the sea.
overseas travel.
-
situated beyond the sea.
overseas territories.
-
pertaining to countries, associations, activities, etc., beyond the sea.
overseas military service; overseas commitments.
noun
adverb
adjective
-
of, to, in, from, or situated in countries beyond the sea
-
Also: oversea. of or relating to passage over the sea
noun
Etymology
Origin of overseas
before 1150; oversea ( Middle English overse, Old English ofer sǣ; see over-, sea) + -s 3 or -s 1
Explanation
There's no trick to the meaning of overseas. If someone goes overseas, they've gone "over" the "seas" — to a foreign country. When overseas came into use, there were no airplanes, so technically speaking, one traveled "across" or "on" the seas, in a ship. Nevertheless, one was thought to have made it "over the sea," hence overseas. When traveling overseas, make sure your phone works on the network in the country where you're headed. Also, the laws and customs overseas can be very different from the ones we have here, so be careful. What here at home you consider small potatoes legally might be a big deal overseas.
Vocabulary lists containing overseas
Chapter 21: Age of Exploration and Trade
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for October 2–October 8, 2021
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Chapter 27: America and World War II
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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.
Overseas opportunity still beckons for the concert industry, even as Americans feel the sting of high inflation and demand shows signs of returning to earth from the postpandemic peak.
From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026
In 2002, the U.K. offered citizenship to most citizens of the British Overseas Territories, and some Chagossians moved to Britain.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
"For many families, securing that amount is difficult - and with the risk of visa rejection, they hesitate," says Sushil Sukhwani of consultancy Edwise Overseas Education.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
Overseas demand surged 4.7 percent in February while domestic orders dropped 4.4 percent, according to Destatis.
From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026
Eventually Chacko got a brief, badly paid assignment with the Overseas Sales Department of the India Tea Board.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
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.
