overriding

adjective

over·​rid·​ing ˌō-vər-ˈrī-diŋ 

ˌō-və-

: chief, principal

an overriding concern

Synonyms of overriding

• main
• primary
• greatest
• predominant
• highest
• dominant
• foremost

Examples of overriding in a Sentence

We have one overriding concern.

The weather is the overriding factor in deciding whether to cancel the picnic.

Recent Examples on the Web

The final overriding decision was therefore not simply a process of adjudicating biological facts, but a judgment about what classification might do. — Max Moser, STAT, 9 July 2026

While print and digital journalism come close, TV, radio, and the movies exist a primarily ‘values-free’ zone, where entertainment is the overriding priority. — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

The only overriding lesson may be that there are no overriding lessons. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026

That didn’t change the overriding feeling of utter failure one iota. — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overriding

• coinciding
• subdividing
• abiding
• backsliding
• colliding
• confiding
• deciding
• deriding
• dividing
• nitriding
• presiding
• providing