overcast

American  

[oh-ver-kast, -kahst, oh-ver-kast, -kahst, oh-ver-kast, -kahst, oh-ver-kast, -kahst, oh-ver-kast, -kahst] / ˈoʊ vərˈkæst, -ˈkɑst, ˈoʊ vərˌkæst, -ˌkɑst, ˌoʊ vərˈkæst, -ˈkɑst, ˈoʊ vərˌkæst, -ˌkɑst, ˈoʊ vərˌkæst, -ˌkɑst /

adjective

1. overspread or covered with clouds; cloudy.

   an overcast day.

2. Meteorology. (of the sky) more than 95 percent covered by clouds.

3. dark; gloomy.

4. Sewing. sewn by overcasting.

---

verb (used with object)

overcast, overcasting

1. to overcloud, darken, or make gloomy.

   Ominous clouds began to overcast the sky.

2. to sew with stitches passing successively over an edge, especially long stitches set at intervals to prevent raveling.

verb (used without object)

overcast, overcasting

1. to become cloudy or dark.

   By noon it had begun to overcast.

noun

1. Meteorology. the condition of the sky when more than 95 percent covered by clouds.

2. 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.

overcast British  

adjective

1. covered over or obscured, esp by clouds

2. meteorol (of the sky) more than 95 per cent cloud-covered

3. gloomy or melancholy

4. sewn over by overcasting

---

verb

1. to make or become overclouded or gloomy

2. to sew (an edge, as of a hem) with long stitches passing successively over the edge

noun

1. a covering, as of clouds or mist

2. meteorol the state of the sky when more than 95 per cent of it is cloud-covered

3. mining a crossing of two passages without an intersection

Etymology

Origin of overcast

1175–1225; Middle English (v.); over-, cast

Example Sentences

I’ve learned from experts over and over about how exposing yourself to natural light, even on an overcast day, either resets or talks to your circadian rhythm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

And by practicing those little acts of love with each other every day, they make their little part of Minnesota all the more bright, even in the perpetually overcast winter.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026

He added that "the road was in a good state of repair and the weather was dry and overcast".

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2025

It had rained all morning and the overcast clouds trapped a chill in the air.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 26, 2025

The sky is overcast, so there are no stars.

From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick

Related Words

• dismal
• dreary
• dull
• hazy
• leaden
• murky