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:
Faced with a lack of dedicated facilities, Cascione applied the same philosophy he used when his baseball team had to rent a field: adapt and overcome the obstacle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard even said this week that the 23-year-old could benefit from being taken out of the team altogether, to overcome what the club's former captain perceives as a lack of confidence.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
"With his support, I’ve now overcome my illness, and I want to give him my positive energy so that he, too, can overcome his illness as quickly as possible," she said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
That meant Germany could not simply substitute graphite for heavy water to overcome its supply problems.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
Now she was the one overcome with nerves.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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
What is your vision for how Europe overcomes this?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 21, 2026
He added that "it is particularly meaningful in that it simultaneously overcomes the key limitations of existing CAR-macrophage therapies -- delivery efficiency and the immunosuppressive tumor environment."
From Science Daily ● Jan. 11, 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
Then a bone-deep weariness overcomes me, and I fall into a dreamless sleep on the rush-strewn floor of the chapel.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
The research team overcame this obstacle by developing a technique that applies tiny amounts of MOF material directly to the mitochondrial surface.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
Elsewhere, defending champion Alcaraz overcame fluctuations in form to beat Jaume Munar and reach the Japan Open final.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
Back-to-back playoff appearances suggested there was more to come—especially considering the rash of injuries the team overcame last season.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
The total overcame the milestone set by “The Studio” with its 13 wins last year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
The professor looked awkward for a second, and then his eagerness overcame his reluctance.
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
The world number three saved two match points before overcoming Taylor Fritz 6-3 4-6 13-11 in a dramatic deciding tie-break at London's O2 Arena.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
Though, so far this season, Maiava has had no problem overcoming the absence of his two top receivers from a year ago, Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
It was crucial in overcoming Jennifer Kupcho's hammer blow long range birdies late on the Saturday evening that allowed the United States to force an unlikely share of the foursomes and fourball spoils.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 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
The lever was at work, overcoming Kaz’s resistance, moving him into place.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
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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.
