overlooked
Americanadjective
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not noticed, or not considered, used, etc..
This collection of songs includes some long overlooked material by the artist.
-
indulgently or generously excused or disregarded, as faults or misbehavior.
We share love in a million different ways—a kind word or friendly smile here, an overlooked offense or an act of service there.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of overlooked
Explanation
Something that's overlooked is either not seen or deliberately ignored. If you find a plastic egg full of stale jelly beans in June, it may be an overlooked prize from April's Easter egg hunt. When you disregard, pass over, or fail to notice something, you can call it overlooked. Your best friend's overlooked faults might include her tendency to be late and her annoying laugh — you ignore both because you like her so much. This adjective stems from the verb overlook, which is currently defined as "fail to notice" but originally meant "peer over the top of" or "inspect."
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.
But there’s another side of this that often gets overlooked — which, in fairness, you did address somewhat in your answer.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
In interviews and via his vanity cards he would, occasionally, rail against television critics, network censors, reality TV and the Television Academy, which consistently overlooked his series in the best comedy category.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
Tinker-Tsavalas uses macro photography to reveal the intricate details of tiny animals that are easily overlooked, particularly in urban habitats.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
However, the researchers suspected that something important was being overlooked: the microscopic chemical environment directly next to each electrode.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
The answer could have been there, among the other papers that I, in my eagerness, had overlooked.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
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.
