overbearing

adjective

over·​bear·​ing ˌō-vər-ˈber-iŋ How to pronounce overbearing (audio)
1
a
: tending to overwhelm : overpowering
had to deal with his overbearing mother
b
: decisively important : dominant
didn't think it was the overbearing consideration hereJ. S. Cooper
2
: harshly and haughtily arrogant
the mayor's overbearing manner of dealing with employees
overbearingly adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for overbearing

proud, arrogant, haughty, lordly, insolent, overbearing, supercilious, disdainful mean showing scorn for inferiors.

proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness.

too proud to take charity

arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted.

a conceited and arrogant executive

haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position.

a haughty aristocrat

lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.

a lordly condescension

insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness.

ignored by an insolent waiter

overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence.

an overbearing supervisor

supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness.

an aloof and supercilious manner

disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness.

disdainful of their social inferiors

Examples of overbearing in a Sentence

He had to deal with his overbearing mother. Her husband's overbearing manner made her miserable.
Recent Examples on the Web Baranski, now 71, played Bunny Caldwell, the overbearing mother of Blair's naïve Cecile, while Reid, now 48, had a small role as Marci Greenbaum, the daughter of Sebastian's therapist. Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 Unfortunately, the presence of an overbearing and opinionated person may be throwing off your thought process. Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Feb. 2024 Brand leaders and marketers should create content that keeps their companies top of mind without being overbearing. Dan Kahn, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 Spotlight on voting process Hiking fees for overbearing, polluting SUVs is reminiscent of Paris’s ban on e-scooters last year, when less than 8% of eligible Parisians turned out to cast a vote. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 5 Feb. 2024 Despite her appreciation for the island — and especially the community that helped to keep her afloat — the relief of being away from an overbearing and overreaching government was palpable. Ilana Masad, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2024 There’s an overbearing sense of entitlement that refuses to allow shows of color to thrive. Helena Andrews-Dyer, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2024 Free from the overbearing influence of a founder, anyone that volunteered their time to work on Bitcoin could have a say in its direction. Joel Khalili, WIRED, 2 Feb. 2024 Despite an undergraduate degree from Columbia University, Mercy, a Korean American, has moved to China for a fresh start, and to distance herself from her overbearing mother. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 26 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overbearing.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of overbearing was in 1614

Dictionary Entries Near overbearing

Cite this Entry

“Overbearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overbearing. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

overbearing

adjective
over·​bear·​ing
-ˈba(ə)r-iŋ,
-ˈbe(ə)r-
overbearingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on overbearing

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