overseas

[ adverb noun oh-ver-seez; adjective oh-ver-seez ]

adverb

1. over, across, or beyond the sea; abroad:

   to be sent overseas.

adjective

1. of or relating to passage over the sea:

   overseas travel.

2. situated beyond the sea:

   overseas territories.

3. pertaining to countries, associations, activities, etc., beyond the sea:

   overseas military service; overseas commitments.

noun

1. (used with a singular verb) countries or territories across the sea or ocean.

overseas

adverb

1. beyond the sea; abroad

adjective

1. of, to, in, from, or situated in countries beyond the sea
2. Alsooverseaˌəʊvəˈsiː of or relating to passage over the sea

noun

1. informal.
   functioning as singular a foreign country or foreign countries collectively

Word History and Origins

Origin of overseas¹

before 1150; oversea ( Middle English overse, Old English ofer sǣ; over-, sea ) + -s ³ or -s ¹

Example Sentences

Corea toured constantly overseas and across America, using a tour bus once owned by country star Merle Haggard.

From Washington Post

Meanwhile, players with no interest in attending school have had to find creative alternatives, mostly overseas, for their NBA-mandated gap years.

From Washington Post

Since most US cruise ships are registered overseas, the Passenger Vessels Service Act means all cruises to Alaska include a stop at a Canadian port.

From Quartz

By the 1970s, population growth, coupled with rising inflation and competition from rebuilt overseas economies, led to budget problems for state governments.

From Washington Post

Amazon might seem an unstoppable force in the US, but the picture has often looked different overseas.

From Quartz

At least 70 percent of the children were adopted from overseas, including Russia, China, Ethiopia and Ukraine.

From The Daily Beast

Now Wisconsin is considering making it mandatory for parents who adopt overseas to have their children “re-adopted” in the state.

From The Daily Beast

In the early 1900s, fashion forgers often sketched designs they saw in Paris shows and sold reproductions in France and overseas.

From The Daily Beast

The bill also provided $64 billion in war funding through the Overseas Contingency Operations account.

From The Daily Beast

It invites dictatorial and rogue regimes to use Americans serving overseas as bargaining chips.

From The Daily Beast

A full General landing to inspect overseas is entitled to a salute of 17 guns—well, I got my dues.

From Project Gutenberg

Her flower in one hand and the umbrella making a bright halo round her, she looks like a little idol from overseas.

From Project Gutenberg

Some Americans and Canadians may not want to go overseas; they may be opposed to fighting; they may think they are not needed.

From Project Gutenberg

For every overseas soldier wounded on the western front there are six of the Imperial troops wounded.

From Project Gutenberg

The British have five million troops under arms, of which only one-fifth are overseas.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abroad
• foreign