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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Physical Education - Middle School and High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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
The American challenger, who accepted the bout on just 15 days' notice, caused swelling under Serrano's right eye with an overhand left in the fifth.
From BBC ● Jan. 4, 2026
Simpson was the home hero at the First Direct Bank Arena on Saturday but was on the back foot for much of the fight, struggling to deal with the smaller man's overhand right hands.
From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2025
Allen failed to land with his telegraphed overhand rights and Fisher snapped out the jab as the contest struggled to catch fire early on.
From BBC ● May 17, 2025
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
"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)
She climbed Popocatepetl, the mysterious "Sleeping Woman" that overhands the ancient town, and looked into its crater.
From Love Eternal by Haggard, Henry Rider
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
No knot is used; a short end of the thread is left and overhanded under.
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
If the hemming and overhanding is not completed during the class hour, they may be assigned as home work.
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
If the lace is wide baste it in place at the corners before overhanding.
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
Fill with the powdered emery and fasten the gathering thread by overhanding over the top.
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
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.
