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.
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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.
Overlooked by many is that the megabill also expanded a key phaseout for this break.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025
Overlooked in the first part of the interview, which was published Sunday, was what McIlroy considered to be a clever move by European captain Luke Donald when it came to Sunday singles at Marco Simone.
From Washington Times • Nov. 14, 2023
Overlooked by oddsmakers and angered by analysts, the Diamondbacks find themselves in a Surprise Series against the also unexpected Texas Rangers.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 26, 2023
Overlooked by the Academy for the best performance of his career, Adam Sandler propels the Safdie brothers’ crime thriller “Uncut Gems.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2023
Overlooked in these reports was the fact that the program in question was a pilot project that offered far more generous child care and other subsidies than Minnesota’s actual welfare reform program.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
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.
