overcome
Americanverb (used with object)
-
overcomes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
overcame,
past
-
overcome,
past participle
-
overcoming
present participle
-
to get the better of in a struggle or conflict; conquer; defeat.
to overcome the enemy.
- Synonyms:
- vanquish
-
to prevail over (opposition, a debility, temptations, etc.); surmount.
to overcome one's weaknesses.
-
to overpower or overwhelm in body or mind, as does liquor, a drug, exertion, or emotion.
I was overcome with grief.
-
Archaic. to overspread or overrun.
verb (used without object)
-
overcomes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
overcame,
past
-
overcome,
past participle
-
overcoming
present participle
verb
-
(tr) to get the better of in a conflict
-
(tr; often passive) to render incapable or powerless by laughter, sorrow, exhaustion, etc
he was overcome by fumes
-
(tr) to surmount (obstacles, objections, etc)
-
(intr) to be victorious
Synonym Usage
See defeat.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
overcomesimple
-
overcomessimple
-
have overcomeperfect
-
has overcomeperfect
-
am overcomingprogressive
-
are overcomingprogressive
-
is overcomingprogressive
-
have been overcomingperfect progressive
-
has been overcomingperfect progressive
Past
-
overcamesimple
-
had overcomeperfect
-
was overcomingprogressive
-
were overcomingprogressive
-
had been overcomingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overcome
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English ofercuman; see over-, come
Explanation
Use the verb overcome when you talk about someone who has triumphed over adversity. It's great to see a friend who's always struggled in school overcome his learning disabilities and make the honor roll. You can also be overcome with emotions, or overwhelmed by your feelings. Many people feel so overcome with sadness at a movie — or happiness at a wedding — that they regret not bringing a pile of tissues with them. The verb overcome also means to win or surpass. If you are going to win the marathon, you are going to have to overcome having five runners ahead of you.
Vocabulary lists containing overcome
List 1
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Brown Girl Dreaming
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"Hitching a Ride"
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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:
It was so hot Nicolas Gonzalez, a fan sitting in the shade of the reserved level, saw a stadium attendant, overcome by heat, stretchered before the game even started.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
To overcome that limitation, the researchers combined observations from hundreds of galaxies with active jets.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026
Such agreements have been common in recent years as automakers look to overcome charging anxiety, one of the major hurdles for consumers skeptical about buying an EV.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
The second-quarter figures come after the company’s trading debut showed that investors have yet to be convinced that the Shein can overcome its issues.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
“There has been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the same way. I wonder who first discovered the efficacy of poetry in driving away love!”
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
This overcomes a key challenge facing Moore's Law that Intel sums up as: "You can make something smaller and smaller and smaller... until you can't".
From Barron's ● May 25, 2026
Jean-Jacques Rousseau held that human reason prompts us to turn away from others’ suffering, for it is reason that overcomes the instinct of compassion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026
The new Harvard device overcomes these limitations by being fully tunable.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 21, 2026
But even here, her sincerity overcomes her weakness for sentimental flourishes, including Amine Bouhafa’s treacly score.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 9, 2026
Olly: he’s a snob Madeline: But he overcomes it and eventually realizes that character matters more than class!
From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon
Pinegrove overcame a tough market and an LP base ‘traumatized’ by SVB’s collapse to raise $1.5 billion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Luke Littler overcame defending champion Luke Humphries to claim the Czech Open title in Prague.
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
This 66-year-old overcame the odds and found a new job.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Through a highly coordinated grassroots campaign, Nixon overcame a $15-million fundraising deficit against Vindman in a state where affordability, high property insurance costs and public infrastructure strain were top concerns for many voters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
And when the giggles overcame them, why, their mother was giggling too.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
District challenges: The primary challenge is overcoming low enrollment, which Bruno said stems from financial challenges facing students.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Russian engineers, through successive iterations, added speed and survivability thanks to better electronics for navigation and communications, overcoming much of Ukraine’s defenses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
"Everyone has the feeling that their technical capabilities are growing in terms of autonomy, in terms of overcoming electronic warfare systems, and in terms of the distance at which they can fire."
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
By overcoming their pre-tournament concerns, Sabalenka and Rybakina have underlined their position as the two standout players on the WTA Tour.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
I was tempted to run to Miss Riley and beg for her help in overcoming this terrible injustice.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
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.
