overshadow

verb

over·​shad·​ow ˌō-vər-ˈsha-(ˌ)dō 

overshadowed; overshadowing; overshadows

transitive verb

1

: to cast a shadow over

2

: to exceed in importance : outweigh

Synonyms

• obscure
• darken
• blur
• blacken

Examples of overshadow in a Sentence

The pitcher's outstanding performance should not overshadow the achievements of the rest of the team.

large trees overshadow the yard and darken the house for much of the day

Recent Examples on the Web

But the Jones drama has overshadowed other key topics in the race, including the government shutdown, reduction-in-force notices, and their effect on the Virginia economy, where federal workers make up a sizable portion of the workforce. —Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 11 Oct. 2025

But the game has been overshadowed by politics, with Norway’s football authorities using the game to make a stance over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza. —Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025

That performance overshadowed Philadelphia’s postseason offense, which scored 11 touchdowns over the team’s final two games. —Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 9 Oct. 2025

Among some birds, siblings can be powerful role models that can even overshadow parental influence. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for overshadow

• caddo
• foreshadow

Kids Definition

overshadow

verb

over·​shad·​ow -ˈshad-ō 

1

: to cast a shadow over : darken

2

: to become more important than : outweigh

the win overshadowed the player's injury