overshadow
Americanverb (used with object)
-
overshadows,
present (3rd person singular)
-
overshadowed,
past participle, past
-
overshadowing
present participle
-
to be more important or significant by comparison.
For years he overshadowed his brother.
-
to cast a shadow over; cover with shadows, clouds, darkness, etc.; darken or obscure.
clouds overshadowing the moon.
-
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
-
to render insignificant or less important in comparison
-
to cast a shadow or gloom over
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
overshadowsimple
-
overshadowssimple
-
have overshadowedperfect
-
has overshadowedperfect
-
am overshadowingprogressive
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are overshadowingprogressive
-
is overshadowingprogressive
-
have been overshadowingperfect progressive
-
has been overshadowingperfect progressive
Past
-
overshadowedsimple
-
had overshadowedperfect
-
was overshadowingprogressive
-
were overshadowingprogressive
-
had been overshadowingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of overshadow
before 900; Middle English overshadewen, Old English ofersceadwian. See over-, shadow
Explanation
To overshadow is to appear more important or larger than something else. Your sister's tendency to interrupt and speak loudly sometimes overshadows what a caring person she is. You can use this verb in a very literal way, to mean "cast a shadow over something smaller," like the enormous oak tree in your yard that overshadows your small house. It's also possible to figuratively overshadow, like when your worry about next week's math test overshadows the happiness you feel waking up to a snow day. One person can overshadow another too, when they appear more interesting, successful, or attractive.
Vocabulary lists containing overshadow
You Call This Democracy?
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Selection Vocabulary 1, Unit 2
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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.
See Examples For:
The artist’s immersive video installation has a disjointed narrative and lack of emotional connection that overshadow its attractive visuals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Anthropic’s investors are reportedly expecting the artificial-intelligence lab to go public next quarter — and overshadow SpaceX’s initial public offering.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
This was quite the moment to elevate the sun-kissed event above the DeChambeau controversy which had threatened to overshadow the week.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
However the reports published by a media consortium, led by Forbidden Stories, about the Pegasus spyware threatened to overshadow his visit.
From Barron's ● Jul. 16, 2026
“Exactly. I have always liked the notion that the American twins were actually a poltergeist phenomenon; certainly poltergeists can overshadow any more interesting manifestation. Bad ghosts drive out good.”
From "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson
What’s more, the histrionic grandeur she imbues the scene with overshadows the dramatic revelation that follows: the reading of the Delphic oracle’s judgment that she is indeed innocent, and Leontes is “a jealous tyrant.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Read: Rocket Lab’s stock slides as yet another rocket delay overshadows ‘record year’
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 31, 2026
Her illness can be fatal and I understand that, for the royal family, Mette-Marit's health overshadows everything.
From BBC ● Jan. 31, 2026
Ben Hania’s insistence on close-up melodramatics — faces in anguish, a handheld camera glued to them — sometimes overshadows a thirst for something more analytical.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2025
“The American public got a slight taste of the fear which overshadows the people of Europe constantly.”
From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow
But the action was overshadowed by the reaction to Fernandez's second-half appearance, less than 24 hours after Chelsea's self-imposed transfer deadline had passed.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
CONMEBOL, which declared its support for Infantino's re-election bid earlier this year, said the fall-out had overshadowed an "extraordinary" World Cup.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
The video’s storyline, in which the 33-year-old pop singer gets “Carrie”-style revenge for men’s misogynist judgments, was completely overshadowed by fan alarm at Grande’s apparent emaciation.
From Salon ● Aug. 5, 2026
All of that momentum, and the staggering amount of talent on the roster, have overshadowed the Dodgers’ recent poor play.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
They could see it running on into the wood, wide in places and open above, though every now and again the trees drew in and overshadowed it with their dark boughs.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Corning issued lighter-than-expected third-quarter sales guidance, overshadowing a better-than-expected second quarter that was driven by artificial-intelligence demand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Bullingham also made clear that the FA was keen to avoid the scenario of uncertainty over its manager's future overshadowing the World Cup.
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026
The Dodgers’ recent bullpen problems persisted in a 6-4 loss Sunday, overshadowing a bounce-back effort from Emmet Sheehan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2026
Shares of Samsara declined late Thursday after the software company announced that it expects fiscal second-quarter financials will broadly be in line with Wall Street’s expectations, overshadowing better-than-expected fiscal 2027 first-quarter financials.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
Nowhere had I to stand, no way of climbing, the root and bole being far below, and far above my head the branches and their leaves, massed, overshadowing Kharybdis pool.
From "The Odyssey" by Homer
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.
