overgrown
Americanadjective
-
grown to excess; grown too large.
She's an adult cat, but she acts just like an overgrown kitten.
-
covered with a growth of something.
Portions of this trail may be overgrown with brush.
Etymology
Origin of overgrown
First recorded in 1350–1400; over- ( def. ) + grown ( def. )
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.
"Across the country, we've watched preventable conditions -- overgrown stands, insect outbreaks and disease -- turn healthy landscapes into tinderboxes," she said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
Shag carpet covered original terra-cotta floors, high-gloss paint coated nearly every wooden surface and overgrown weeds crowded the yard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
It’s true that many decades of poor land management have resulted in overgrown forests in Canada, but the same goes for the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
The playground is overgrown, and the modular buildings stand quiet and empty.
From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026
The bank was so steeply inclined and overgrown that the horses could barely keep their footing.
From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander
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.
