overbear
Americanverb (used with object)
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to bear over or down by weight or force.
With his superior strength he easily overbore his opponent in the fight.
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to overcome or overwhelm.
A spirited defense had overborne the enemy attack.
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to prevail over or overrule (wishes, objections, etc.).
She overbore all objections to the new plan.
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to treat in a domineering way; dominate.
to overbear one's children with threats of violence.
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Nautical. (of a sailing ship) to have the advantage of (another sailing ship) because of an ability to carry more canvas safely.
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr) to dominate or overcome
to overbear objections
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(tr) to press or bear down with weight or physical force
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to produce or bear (fruit, progeny, etc) excessively
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of overbear
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:
I know that it is easy to overbear a person’s mind if you continuously barrage them with questions and accuse them.
From New York Times ● Nov. 25, 2011
But just because Karl Malden won't be brought to overbear on this doesn't mean Amex considers it unimportant.
From Time Magazine Archive
Cannot I fashion forth Another world, another universe, To overbear and crumble this to nought?
From Keats: Poems Published in 1820 by Robertson, M. (Margaret)
The vines are doubtfully hardy and in many parts of the North must have winter protection; they are not vigorous and are inclined to overbear, to remedy which they must have close pruning.
From Manual of American Grape-Growing by Hedrick, U. P.
The novice, however, is likely to permit his vines to overbear with the result that the crop is cast, or the berries rattle, or the fruit turns sour before ripening.
From Manual of American Grape-Growing by Hedrick, U. P.
It said the installation harmed a neighbouring property because of its "overbearing scale, oppressive sense of enclosure and stark industrial appearance".
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
Some of the people who get in trouble with the law have incredibly controlling mothers, she said, leading her to a theory that wildly overbearing parenting could even play a role in delinquent behavior.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
Some members of communities where they most often hover have come to consider them an unwelcome intrusion and a reminder of the LAPD’s overbearing presence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2026
Before Rowan knows it, Mag has moved in and made herself comfortable, but already seems a bit overbearing, organizing girls’ nights and declaring herself “Mag the hag.”
From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2026
You are nothing, the darkness seemed to say, in its overbearing presence, in the humbling vastness of the night sky and the cold, innumerable stars.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
And then the nearness of the roadlights and the sense of his own extreme helplessness overbore his instinct, and kicking off his shoes, he sped noiselessly over grassy slopes.
From "Persons Unknown" by Tracy, Virginia
Nevertheless, in the halting words of the woman who had suffered, if only from misapprehension upon so grave a point, there was a rude eloquence that overbore the lady's incredulity.
From The Convert by Robins, Elizabeth
While things went well the life policy of joyous carelessness overbore the pessimism, but when things began to go ill the conviction arose that life is not worth living.
From Folkways A Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, Customs, Mores, and Morals by Sumner, William Graham
It created anew a solidarity of interest between them all, which was felt by all with an intensity which overbore every other sentiment.
From The Negro and the Nation A History of American Slavery and Enfranchisement by Merriam, George Spring
"Sewell, what are you drinking?" cried Cave, with a loudness that overbore the talk around him.
From Sir Brook Fossbrooke, Volume I. by Lever, Charles James
Watts was "obsessed" with Sansom, but it was not a case of "one person's will being overborne by another", the judge added.
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2025
Charles Cherry is the over-bearing husband who is finally overborne.
From Time Magazine Archive
They were not overborne by the implications of Communist military power.
From Time Magazine Archive
The Red Hat sect, which allows its lamas to marry, was gradually overborne by the celibate Yellow Hat sect.
From Time Magazine Archive
The plants and grasses that possessed the soil were obviously weeds, and the degraded survivals of a gentler growth lurked among them overborne and half strangled.
From Mitchelhurst Place, Vol. I (of 2) A Novel by Veley, Margaret
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.
