overcast
Americanadjective
-
overspread or covered with clouds; cloudy.
an overcast day.
-
Meteorology. (of the sky) more than 95 percent covered by clouds.
-
dark; gloomy.
-
Sewing. sewn by overcasting.
verb (used with object)
-
overcasts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
overcast,
past participle, past
-
overcasting
present participle
-
to overcloud, darken, or make gloomy.
Ominous clouds began to overcast the sky.
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to sew with stitches passing successively over an edge, especially long stitches set at intervals to prevent raveling.
verb (used without object)
-
overcasts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
overcast,
past participle, past
-
overcasting
present participle
noun
-
Meteorology. the condition of the sky when more than 95 percent covered by clouds.
-
Mining. a crossing of two passages, as airways, dug at the same level, in which one rises to pass over the other without opening into it.
adjective
-
covered over or obscured, esp by clouds
-
meteorol (of the sky) more than 95 per cent cloud-covered
-
gloomy or melancholy
-
sewn over by overcasting
verb
-
to make or become overclouded or gloomy
-
to sew (an edge, as of a hem) with long stitches passing successively over the edge
noun
-
a covering, as of clouds or mist
-
meteorol the state of the sky when more than 95 per cent of it is cloud-covered
-
mining a crossing of two passages without an intersection
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
overcastsimple
-
overcastssimple
-
have overcastperfect
-
has overcastperfect
-
am overcastingprogressive
-
are overcastingprogressive
-
is overcastingprogressive
-
have been overcastingperfect progressive
-
has been overcastingperfect progressive
Past
-
overcastsimple
-
had overcastperfect
-
was overcastingprogressive
-
were overcastingprogressive
-
had been overcastingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overcast
Explanation
Use the adjective overcast when you're describing a cloudy sky. An overcast day can be dark, cold, and gloomy, or just quiet and calm. A day that's gray and cloudy is overcast, and a dull, sunless sky can also be described this way. A less common way to use overcast is when you talk about sewing — an overcast stitch catches the edge of the fabric to keep it from fraying — and the stitch itself is sometimes called an overcast. Before the weather-related adjective was coined, overcast was a verb meaning "to cover" or "to overthrow."
Vocabulary lists containing overcast
"Marriage is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe
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Lights Out: Synonyms for "Dark"
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4.1: Causes and Consequences of Iberian Maritime Exploration and Colonialism (Sources 1–12)
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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:
Skies are frequently overcast, and winters are cold, gray and gloomy.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
While much of Europe and large parts of England and Wales have sweltered in record-breaking heat this summer, the weather here is overcast and relatively cool.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
It was a cool, overcast day and as the wind rustled the tree leaves, a baby coyote raced across the lawn in the distance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
On overcast days, when the sun was hidden, pigeons that lacked the macrophages lost their sense of direction and had difficulty navigating home.
From Science Daily ● May 31, 2026
They say, “One cloud feels lonely”: and indeed it is true that the appearance of a single cloud often means that the sky will soon be overcast.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
Three months earlier, Blankenship had told mine superintendents to "ignore" requests to build overcasts -- devices that are important for ventilating deadly gases from mines.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 8, 2010
Old flying boats venture out and up through pea-soup overcasts, often to rescue flyers from a sea so cold that few men have survived after floating in it for more than 30 minutes.
From Time Magazine Archive
Why that ominous redness which overcasts the heavens?
From The Second Deluge by Garrett Putman Serviss
When every drop of blood in the veins is pure a beauteous flush overcasts the young girl's cheek.
From Right Living as a Fine Art A Study of Channing's Symphony as an Outline of the Ideal Life and Character by Newell Dwight Hillis
When we first called she had just passed her fourth birthday, and now overcasts from three to four pairs of pants every day.
From The Arena Volume 4, No. 19, June, 1891 by B. O. (Benjamin Orange) Flower
John Goodman can do the oaky solidity, but perhaps might be overcasting.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 29, 2012
That is a detail, if the borders themselves are intact; and the edges only need overcasting before it is too late.
From The Oriental Rug A Monograph on Eastern Rugs and Carpets, Saddle-Bags, Mats & Pillows, with a Consideration of Kinds and Classes, Types, Borders, Figures, Dyes, Symbols, etc. Together with Some Practical Advice to Collectors. by W. D. (William DeLancey) Ellwanger
They looked very threatening, blowing so suddenly over the mountain top, overcasting the brightness of the way.
From The Innocent Adventuress by Mary Hastings Bradley
This method takes the place of serging or overcasting and is much better for thin ravelly goods.
From The Copeland Method A Complete Manual for Cleaning, Repairing, Altering and Pressing All Kinds of Garments for Men and Women, at Home or for Busines by Vanness Copeland
She saw, however, the concern overcasting the features of all of them—except Mathilde—and she now mastered herself entirely, though the tremor remained, very deep down within her.
From Dr. Adriaan by Louis Couperus
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