overhand
Americanadjective
adverb
noun
verb (used with object)
adjective
-
thrown or performed with the hand raised above the shoulder
-
sewn with thread passing over two edges in one direction
adverb
-
with the hand above the shoulder; overarm
-
with shallow stitches passing over two edges
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
overhandsimple
-
overhandssimple
-
have overhandedperfect
-
has overhandedperfect
-
am overhandingprogressive
-
are overhandingprogressive
-
is overhandingprogressive
-
have been overhandingperfect progressive
-
has been overhandingperfect progressive
Past
-
overhandedsimple
-
had overhandedperfect
-
was overhandingprogressive
-
were overhandingprogressive
-
had been overhandingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overhand
Vocabulary lists containing overhand
Physical Education - Introductory
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Physical Education - Middle School and High School
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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:
Lesch’s delivery had one major flaw: He threw directly overhand, as opposed to three-quarters or even sidearm, which can increase velocity but also places additional strain on the shoulder and elbow.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 4, 2026
Dolan beat the count again early in the third round after another overhand left found the target, but her corner threw in the towel moments later as the Mexican applied further pressure.
From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2026
Cyborg launched a couple of big overhand rights in the closing stages but as the bell rang, both fighters raised their arms in the air, believing they had done enough to secure victory.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2024
When Ngannou’s overhand left sent Fury crashing to the canvas for the seventh time as a professional in October, he rose to his feet, regrouped and did the job.
From BBC ● May 16, 2024
Brian’s a machine, a machine gun, two at a time, three, four, underhand, overhand, both hands.
From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson
She climbed Popocatepetl, the mysterious "Sleeping Woman" that overhands the ancient town, and looked into its crater.
From Love Eternal by Haggard, Henry Rider
"How shall I pass her up?" says I. Just then she made a spring for that rope ladder of ours and overhands up like a trapeze star.
From Shorty McCabe by Wilson, F. Vaux (Francis Vaux)
Mahomes threw TD passes underhanded, overhanded, and shoveled one on Kansas City's three possessions in the first half.
From Fox News ● Oct. 5, 2021
Mahomes tossed TD passes underhanded, overhanded and shoveled one on Kansas City’s three possessions in the first half.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 3, 2021
“This is something Errolson calls the ‘escape zip,’ ” Gibson said, indicating an unusual zipper along the jacket’s shoulder, and demonstrating how it could be used to enact an instantaneous, overhanded dejacketing.
From The New Yorker ● Dec. 9, 2019
It has generally been accepted that pitching a baseball overhanded is unnatural, that the human arm is much better suited to the underhanded softball throw or the looping cricket delivery.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 15, 2016
Where they are to be covered they should be strongly overhanded to the garment first.
From Handicraft for Girls A Tentative Course in Needlework, Basketry, Designing, Paper and Cardboard Construction, Textile Fibers and Fabrics and Home Decoration and Care by McGlauflin, Idabelle
The cat leaped on to an overhanding rock, and as the hollow, raucous howl went ringing back and forth again the dogs turned questioningly, their eyes straining to seek the reality of the call.
From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford
The overhanding stitch is also used for seams, for patching, and for sewing on lace.
From Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Household Science in Rural Schools by Ontario. Ministry of Education
Before hemming make the straps for the handles by turning in and overhanding the edges.
From Handicraft for Girls A Tentative Course in Needlework, Basketry, Designing, Paper and Cardboard Construction, Textile Fibers and Fabrics and Home Decoration and Care by McGlauflin, Idabelle
The overhanding of narrow hems is not always necessary, but the ends may be made stronger thereby, and the stitch is a valuable one for the pupils to know.
From Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Household Science in Rural Schools by Ontario. Ministry of Education
After overhanding the end of the hem, the hemming-stitch should follow with the same thread.
From Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Household Science in Rural Schools by Ontario. Ministry of Education
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.
