overshadow
Americanverb (used with object)
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to be more important or significant by comparison.
For years he overshadowed his brother.
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to cast a shadow over; cover with shadows, clouds, darkness, etc.; darken or obscure.
clouds overshadowing the moon.
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to make sad or hang heavily over; cast a pall on.
a disappointment that overshadowed their last years.
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Archaic. to shelter or protect.
verb
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to render insignificant or less important in comparison
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to cast a shadow or gloom over
Other Word Forms
- overshadower noun
- overshadowingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of overshadow
before 900; Middle English overshadewen, Old English ofersceadwian. See over-, shadow
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.
In their lifetimes he was considered one of the most important artists in Britain and his work at the time hugely overshadowed John's.
From BBC
Shares of Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft all immediately fell after their earnings announcements in recent weeks, as their spending plans overshadowed any positive news of revenue acceleration.
From MarketWatch
This is the director’s first film, and you sense him working in the same mode as early Yorgos Lanthimos before the Greek provocateur felt confident that a charismatic performance wouldn’t overshadow his script.
From Los Angeles Times
But it's no secret how frustrated the Palace has been over how Andrew's scandals have overshadowed other royal events.
From BBC
The painful, and sometimes scary, parts of the process are often overshadowed by successful birth, leaving viewers with a rosy portrayal of the experience.
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.
