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
Yet, do not let your anger overbear discretion.
From The Advocate by Charles Heavysege
They are not very large; beautiful in color; have a tendency to overbear and grow in clusters.
From The Apple by Various
Refer him to me; say the point is too difficult for you; that while your feelings for your niece might overbear all other considerations, those very feelings might be the sources of error to you.
From A Rent In A Cloud by Charles James Lever
It is both lonely and silent, with the players on their own as they compete, unless they have an overbearing coach yelling at them from the sidelines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
News coverage and dinner-party conversation often focus on the micromanaging or overbearing boss.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
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
In most of these, we can see the mother-son dynamic, however frustrating or overbearing or dysfunctional, play out.
From Salon ● Jun. 4, 2026
I’ve got lozenges too, I think to myself, and I don’t even have to deal with an overbearing mom.
From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle
After that the worst continued to happen, and at a pace that overbore all resistance.
From Further Experiences of an Irish R.M. by Martin Ross
My assurance of success was so strong that it overbore every other consideration.
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 16, No. 93, July, 1865 by Various
It was his love that urged him on, his love that overbore his scruples, his gravest apprehensions.
From The Night Riders A Romance of Early Montana by Ridgwell Cullum
There was a bold rough energy, a daring go-ahead spirit, that overbore him wherever he went.
From One Of Them by Charles James Lever
It was Forester who overbore with ridicule my suggestion that he should be fed at regular hours, for which I never forgave him.
From A Woman of Genius by Mary Hunter Austin
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
But Rains was all but overborne by the wooden acting of Hollywood Starlet Marisa Pavan.
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
At the next synod in 1871, the orthodox pietistic party had evidently become stronger, but was still overborne by the liberal party, whose strength was in the lay element.
From Church History, Vol. 3 of 3 by J. H. Kurtz
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.
