overawe
Americanverb (used with object)
-
overawes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
overawed,
past participle, past
-
overawing
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
overawesimple
-
overawessimple
-
have overawedperfect
-
has overawedperfect
-
am overawingprogressive
-
are overawingprogressive
-
is overawingprogressive
-
have been overawingperfect progressive
-
has been overawingperfect progressive
Past
-
overawedsimple
-
had overawedperfect
-
was overawingprogressive
-
were overawingprogressive
-
had been overawingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overawe
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:
Since conversion was thought to excuse conquest, these devotional artworks had to overawe their viewers.
From New York Times ● Oct. 27, 2022
The West is more immediate and can still overawe the spectator with substantial remnants of its old annihilating grandeur.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 9, 2017
Hoping to overawe the people of the land, Lewis would let out a blast of his air rifle, a relatively new piece of technology the Native Americans had never seen.
From Textbooks ● Dec. 30, 2014
They have not quite matched the show sometimes given by workers at the Venetian arsenal, who would assemble a galley in a single day in order to overawe visiting foreign dignitaries.
From Economist ● May 16, 2013
Jonathan’s impetuosity, and the manifest singleness of his purpose, seemed to overawe those in front of him; instinctively they cowered, aside and let him pass.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
In the same way, these young people live in the light of the history of cinema, of the great age of Hollywood and the classic European cinema that also overarches and overawes the moderns.
From The New Yorker ● Oct. 29, 2014
"The building is a personal statement by Rudolph," he says, "and it overawes a student who is looking for a place to make his own personal statement."
From Time Magazine Archive
His prestige overawes the unofficial aristocracy of the House—always the most difficult section.
From The Lighter Side of School Life by Ian Hay
In truth, in perfect beauty there is always that which overawes.'
From Zenobia or, the Fall of Palmyra by William Ware
There is a sweet, sedate, and almost solemn womanliness about her, which even overawes Mrs. Stanley, conscious of aunthood and strongmindedness, and insisting upon it that her niece is "a mere child."
From Overland by J. W. (John William) De Forest
The German second seed could meet Djokovic in the semi-finals but has regularly looked overawed when they step on court at the Slams.
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
Both are experienced, so are unlikely to be overawed if called upon.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2025
Far from appearing overawed, the 28-year-old, who had to come through qualifying, seemed right at home in his first Crucible final.
From BBC ● May 4, 2025
Scotland may be an Associate nation, with a fraction of the funding and resources of a full member like England, but they were not overawed by the occasion.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2024
Despite his haste, his panic, his fear of what awaited him back in the bathroom, he could not help but be overawed by what he was looking at.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
For some young players, the attention might be overawing.
From BBC ● May 30, 2025
The first album I'd ever bought was Ziggy Stardust and I owned all his others, so it was overawing, but he was really generous as a performer.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 23, 2013
Nowhere among these republics have great military establishments ever been maintained for the purpose of overawing or subjugating other nations.
From Time Magazine Archive
The Europe through which his couple move is one of soft colors, handsome but not overawing.
From Time Magazine Archive
And in that presence there was a mingling of exquisite tenderness and of limitless power that was overawing.
From Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation by S. D. (Samuel Dickey) Gordon
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
