overlook

1 of 2

verb

over·​look ˌō-vər-ˈlu̇k 

overlooked; overlooking; overlooks

transitive verb

1

: to look over : inspect

took down a map and overlooked it

—Eileen Duggan

2

a

: to look down upon from above

do not like living near water, and prefer not to be overlooked

—G. W. B. Huntingford

b

: to rise above or afford a view of

the mountains that overlook the village

3

a

: to look past : miss

whose sharpened senses overlook nothing

—Richard Semon

b

: ignore sense 1

learned to overlook her boyfriend's minor faults

c

: excuse sense 2

minor misdemeanors may sometimes be overlooked

—Punch

4

: superintend, oversee

The chaperones will overlook the students' behavior on the field trip.

5

: to look on with the evil eye : bewitch

a baby that has been overlooked will begin to pine away

—F. G. Cassidy

overlook

2 of 2

noun

over·​look ˈō-vər-ˌlu̇k 

: a place from which one may look down on a scene below

plenty of overlooks and trails

—Thelma H. Bell

Synonyms

Verb

• command
• dominate

Noun

• lookout
• observatory
• outlook

Choose the Right Synonym for overlook

neglect, disregard, ignore, overlook, slight, forget mean to pass over without giving due attention.

neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention.

habitually neglected his studies

disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

disregarded the wishes of his family

ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

ignored the snide remark

overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

in my rush I overlooked a key example

slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

slighted several major authors in her survey

forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

forget what others say

Examples of overlook in a Sentence

Verb

The detective overlooked an important clue.

Such a crime should not be overlooked.

The quarterback was overlooked by other teams.

the mountains that overlook the village

We rented a suite that overlooks the lake.

Noun

just down the road there's a great overlook where you can get a panoramic view of the valley below

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Dickie has a glorious and airy villa in the hills — lots of steps — overlooking the sea. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024

Also superb, and too often overlooked on TV, is the sound design. —Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024

Seeing the story that others are missing by reporting what so often gets overlooked: the values that connect us. —David Conrads, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Apr. 2024

More than 10 years in the making, the project includes 14 buildings — offices, apartments, hotels and condos — that line the Wharf Street promenade and overlook four recreation piers. —Amy Worden, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024

This number is on the rise, especially as children of color receive more diagnoses after being largely overlooked throughout history. —Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024

The emotional toll of fertility treatments is often overlooked. —Larada Lee, Essence, 2 Apr. 2024

The win was personal for Edey, who discussed it afterwards, saying that several coaches overlooked him in recruiting, including Tennessee’s Rick Barnes. —Trisha Garcia-Easto, Sacramento Bee, 1 Apr. 2024

That campaign, which experimented with fake American personas posting content in the first person, was poorly executed and largely overlooked online, researchers said. —Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2024

Noun

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Rainbow Bridge would remain as a scenic overlook, BoiseDev reported. —Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 31 Mar. 2024

Bieri says travelers can easily spend two days driving around to overlooks and other sites in New River Gorge. —Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024

The Bureau of Land Management, which controls it, describes the area as hilly with overlooks of the Sacramento River. —Phil Helsel, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024

If anything, the German songwriter-producer’s journey brings to mind a hiking trail that winds through a mountain range: There have been tough, uphill ascents, breathtaking overlooks, extended rest stops and the occasional detour. —Joe Lynch, Billboard, 14 Feb. 2024

Below our overlook, a ray glides into murky depths. —Robin Soslow, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024

Cruise down the Highland Scenic Highway, a stretch of elevated backcountry road offering stunning views at four scenic overlooks. —Zoe Denenberg, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2024

This oceanfront, adults-only all-inclusive overlooks one of the best beaches in Cancun, with a wide selection of excellent restaurants, sparkling pools, and gorgeous ocean-view rooms. —Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 18 Feb. 2024

The park rangers start early, just after first light and before the park opens, counting from boardwalks and overlooks while the manatees are undisturbed and still. —USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1861, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

overlook

verb

over·​look

ˌō-vər-ˈlu̇k

1

: to look over : inspect

2

a

: to look down upon from above

b

: to provide a view of from above

the mountain overlooks a lake

3

a

: to fail to see : miss

b

: to pay no attention to : ignore

overlook a beginner's mistakes