overlook

American  

[oh-ver-look, oh-ver-look] / ˌoʊ vərˈlʊk, ˈoʊ vərˌlʊk /

verb (used with object)

1. to fail to notice, perceive, or consider.

   to overlook a misspelled word.

   Synonyms:

   miss

2. to disregard or ignore indulgently, as faults or misconduct.

   Only a parent could overlook that kind of behavior.

3. to look over, as from a higher position.

   a balcony that overlooks the ballroom.

4. to afford a view over; look down or out upon.

   a hill overlooking the sea.

5. to rise above.

   The Washington Monument overlooks the tidal basin.

6. to excuse; pardon.

   a minor infraction we can overlook this time.

7. to look over in inspection, examination, or perusal.

   They allowed us to overlook the proposed contract.

8. to look after, oversee, or supervise.

   She has to overlook a large number of employees.

9. Archaic. to look upon with the evil eye; bewitch.

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noun

1. terrain, as on a cliff, that affords an attractive vista or a good view.

   Miles of landscape could be seen from the overlook.

overlook British  

verb

1. to fail to notice or take into account

2. to disregard deliberately or indulgently

3. to look at or over from above

   the garden is overlooked by the prison

4. to afford a view of from above

   the house overlooks the bay

5. to rise above

6. to look after

7. to look at carefully

8. to bewitch or cast the evil eye upon (someone)

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noun

1. a high place affording a view

2. an act of overlooking

Synonym Usage

See slight.

Etymology

Origin of overlook

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English; see origin at over-, look

Explanation

To overlook something is to fail to see it. When planning a party, it's best to write out a to-do list so that you don't overlook any details. The verb overlook literally means to look over the top of. The word has come to refer to the act of neglecting something, usually because your focus is aimed elsewhere. You might overlook the cost of car insurance if you’re busy calculating the cost of buying the car and paying for gas and parking. As a noun, an overlook is a space high above ground. You might overlook your curfew if you're busy enjoying an overlook with your date.

Example Sentences

The dim crimson haze can be easy to overlook, but it is created by powerful activity taking place far above Earth.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

Those impressive numbers, along with the market’s long-standing tendency to overlook geopolitics, helps to explain why the index is sitting near record highs despite the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

One of the most dramatic spaces found on the main level is a stunning double-height great room with soaring ceilings and enormous windows that overlook the property’s picturesque 1.68-acre parcel—and offer incredible views of Atlanta.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

I was a bit older when I encountered Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” which opens in the seaside town of Whitby, where cliffs overlook the sea in which the ill-fated ship Demeter meets its end.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

“Make it as hard as possible to overlook you. Do that, and I’ll do what I can to see that you get a fair shake. Understand?”

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

Related Words

• discount
• forget
• ignore
• omit