overbear

verb

over·​bear ˌō-vər-ˈber 

overbore ˌō-vər-ˈbȯr  ; overborne ˌō-vər-ˈbȯrn  also overborn ˌō-vər-ˈbȯrn  ; overbearing

transitive verb

1

: to bring down by superior weight or force : overwhelm

2

a

: to domineer over

Robin tries to keep quiet. He cannot overbear her …

—A. S. Byatt

b

: to surpass in importance or cogency : outweigh

Synonyms of overbear

• overcome
• defeat
• master
• worst
• take
• best
• beat
• conquer
• subdue
• get
• stop

Examples of overbear in a Sentence

that year the football team simply overbore opponent after opponent with steamroller ruthlessness

Recent Examples on the Web

But her voice in the actual album mixes is less grating than the singles’ mixes imply, and the lyrics understand what’s cool and also overbearing about her overarching persona. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 6 July 2026

Where most conversations are half-silent, important figures in Rimbaud’s life are embodied by musical instruments, ranging from overbearing tubas to melodic strings, depending on who’s speaking and their place in the story. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 2 June 2026

His commentary during challenges has gone from nonexistent to essential to overbearing. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2026

Content-forward, but not overbearing Companies that make streaming dongles and smart TVs have long pushed the idea of content-forward user interfaces. — Janko Roettgers, The Verge, 28 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for overbear

• aftercare
• anywhere
• billionaire
• chinaware
• debonair
• dinnerware
• disrepair
• doctrinaire
• earthenware
• everywhere
• frigidaire
• kitchenware

Kids Definition

overbear

verb

over·​bear ˌō-vər-ˈba(ə)r 

-ˈbe(ə)r

overbore -ˈbō(ə)r 

-ˈbȯ(ə)r

; overborne -ˈbō(ə)rn 

-ˈbȯ(ə)rn

also overborn -ˈbȯ(ə)rn  ; overbearing

1

: to bring down by a stronger weight or force : overpower

2

: to exceed in importance or forcefulness : outweigh