overbearing

adjective

over·​bear·​ing ˌō-vər-ˈber-iŋ 

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 here

—J. S. Cooper

2

: harshly and haughtily arrogant

the mayor's overbearing manner of dealing with employees

overbearingly

ˌō-vər-ˈber-iŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• arch
• big
• capital
• cardinal
• central
• chief
• dominant
• first
• foremost
• grand
• great
• greatest
• highest
• key
• leading
• main
• master
• number one
• No. 1
• numero uno
• overmastering
• overriding
• paramount
• predominant
• preeminent
• premier
• primal
• primary
• principal
• prior
• sovereign
• sovran
• supreme

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

With pieces starting at just $17, these picks feature breathable materials like linen, viscose, cotton, and polyester to help keep the overbearing Southern heat at bay. —Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 18 May 2024

This can help with setting up the totes and deciding what plants will grow better together and what plants will be too overbearing for others and should get their own tote. —Annisa Charles, Orange County Register, 8 May 2024

Their abundance of caution and overbearing rules felt like weakness to me growing up. —Deepa Purushothaman, Fortune, 7 May 2024

An overbearing method actor (David Duchovny) plays his role as a war criminal with disturbing fidelity. —James Poniewozik, New York Times, 6 May 2024

Business card exchanges and pocketbook weighing can become overbearing at large conferences and masterminds. —Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024

The play, theater’s most potent study of denial, is harnessed by the dominant role of the overbearing father, James Tyrone, whose presence within the wretched, wrecked household requires him to loom large even when offstage. —David Benedict, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024

On Thursday, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar raised a complaint frequently heard among Modi’s supporters: that the United States is moralizing, overbearing and prone to meddling. —Gerry Shih, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024

The man seemed to be their coach, or their overbearing father, or both. —Tyler Foggatt, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

overbearing

adjective

over·​bear·​ing

-ˈba(ə)r-iŋ,

-ˈbe(ə)r-

: arrogant, domineering

overbearingly adverb