overlooked
Americanadjective
-
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.
A relentlessly driven, shrewd deal-maker and entrepreneur, Allen is used to defying skeptics and seeing opportunity in assets overlooked by others.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
But what if that woman’s work, the work she believes was overlooked by The New York Times, is telling women like her that they should not work outside the home?
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
With their dated decor, hotel-like hallways, overhead ceiling tiles and abandoned office spaces, the Backrooms resemble the overlooked non-places of modern life – spaces many people recognize but rarely notice.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026
Active fund managers are supposed to find stocks that have been overlooked by the index.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Our room’s window overlooked the shops at the center of Marka.
From "Tasting the Sky" by Ibtisam Barakat
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.
