over·cast
overcast; overcasting
2
ˈō-vər-ˌkast 
: to sew (raw edges of a seam) with long slanting widely spaced stitches to prevent raveling
: to sew (raw edges of a seam) with long slanting widely spaced stitches to prevent raveling
over·cast
ˈō-vər-ˌkast
ˌō-vər-ˈkast
ˌō-vər-ˈkast
: clouded over
an overcast day
over·cast
ˈō-vər-ˌkast
: covering
especially
: a covering of clouds over the sky
Synonyms
Examples of overcast in a Sentence
Verb
an impenetrable fog overcast our view of the harbor
Adjective
It was an overcast morning.
They worked in overcast conditions.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2023
Sky conditions oscillate between partly cloudy to perhaps overcast at times.
—Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2021
Confidence: Medium Sunday: Mostly cloudy to overcast at times.
—Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2020
Stacy Lambe, Peoplemag, 10 Nov. 2023
These southern Californian spots are rarely overcast, but there will be times when a signal can’t get through because it’s blocked by clouds, smoke, or haze.
—Ramin Skibba, WIRED, 13 Oct. 2023
On an overcast afternoon, Szabo, 56, drove to the Chinatown Branch and mused about the cost of decarbonization, solar panels, air conditioning and carpets.
—Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2023
SpaceX launched the spacecraft into an overcast midmorning sky from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
—TIME, 13 Oct. 2023
Later on campus, beneath an overcast sky that began to spit rain, several dozen people convene for a pro-Palestinian rally outside a building named for Israel’s only female prime minister, Golda Meir.
—Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Oct. 2023
At his interment, a crowd gathered under overcast skies, circling around Willie's black tombstone at a local cemetery for one final farewell.
—CBS News, 9 Oct. 2023
Under an overcast sky, as families gathered in the cemetery, a priest blessed the open graves and undertakers lowered two coffins, those of a husband and wife, draped in green velvet.
—David Guttenfelder, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2023
High-quality rugs usually have neatly finished edges that are bound or overcast to prevent fraying.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 11 Sep. 2023
Martin Weil, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2023
Clouds and overcast ruled our skies Saturday, but for a few moments, at least a thin spot overhead allowed a fuzzy view of the moon, which reached maximum fullness Friday.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2023
On the second full day of astronomical autumn, with October only six days ahead, Monday’s implacably gray overcast seemed to harbor secret signs of what the year’s last quarter might bring.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2023
The rain and overcast are likely to keep temperatures from rising much, with highs in the upper 50s to low 60s.
—David Streit, Washington Post, 27 Apr. 2023
Early rain ended about 1 p.m., leaving puddles in the streets, mud in the parks, temperatures in the 40s and a steadfast overcast in the skies.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2023
This dark overcast revealed the TV’s impressive brightness levels, which stood neck and neck with the comparable but pricier SunBrite Veranda 3.
—Hunter Fenollol, Popular Mechanics, 31 Mar. 2023
Through the hours of daytime overcast, even if no rain could actually be felt, the breeze seemed to carry a sense of proximity to the low-hanging clouds.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2023
At O’Hare International Airport temperatures registered at 39 degrees with an overcast.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2023
See More
Verb
The past year has seen an existential mood overcast the rap world as its commercial dominance appears to be on its last leg.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2023
Sky conditions oscillate between partly cloudy to perhaps overcast at times.
—Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2021
Confidence: Medium Sunday: Mostly cloudy to overcast at times.
—Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2020
Adjective
Under overcast skies, Kelce was photographed climbing into a waiting car at the airport.
—Stacy Lambe, Peoplemag, 10 Nov. 2023
These southern Californian spots are rarely overcast, but there will be times when a signal can’t get through because it’s blocked by clouds, smoke, or haze.
—Ramin Skibba, WIRED, 13 Oct. 2023
On an overcast afternoon, Szabo, 56, drove to the Chinatown Branch and mused about the cost of decarbonization, solar panels, air conditioning and carpets.
—Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2023
SpaceX launched the spacecraft into an overcast midmorning sky from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
—TIME, 13 Oct. 2023
Later on campus, beneath an overcast sky that began to spit rain, several dozen people convene for a pro-Palestinian rally outside a building named for Israel’s only female prime minister, Golda Meir.
—Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Oct. 2023
At his interment, a crowd gathered under overcast skies, circling around Willie's black tombstone at a local cemetery for one final farewell.
—CBS News, 9 Oct. 2023
Under an overcast sky, as families gathered in the cemetery, a priest blessed the open graves and undertakers lowered two coffins, those of a husband and wife, draped in green velvet.
—David Guttenfelder, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2023
High-quality rugs usually have neatly finished edges that are bound or overcast to prevent fraying.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 11 Sep. 2023
Noun
At many moments, of course, colors held their peace, or at least seemed subdued, under the overcast, amid the rain showers.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2023
Clouds and overcast ruled our skies Saturday, but for a few moments, at least a thin spot overhead allowed a fuzzy view of the moon, which reached maximum fullness Friday.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2023
On the second full day of astronomical autumn, with October only six days ahead, Monday’s implacably gray overcast seemed to harbor secret signs of what the year’s last quarter might bring.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2023
The rain and overcast are likely to keep temperatures from rising much, with highs in the upper 50s to low 60s.
—David Streit, Washington Post, 27 Apr. 2023
Early rain ended about 1 p.m., leaving puddles in the streets, mud in the parks, temperatures in the 40s and a steadfast overcast in the skies.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2023
This dark overcast revealed the TV’s impressive brightness levels, which stood neck and neck with the comparable but pricier SunBrite Veranda 3.
—Hunter Fenollol, Popular Mechanics, 31 Mar. 2023
Through the hours of daytime overcast, even if no rain could actually be felt, the breeze seemed to carry a sense of proximity to the low-hanging clouds.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2023
At O’Hare International Airport temperatures registered at 39 degrees with an overcast.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overcast.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing overcast
Dictionary Entries Near overcast
Cite this Entry
“Overcast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overcast. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
overcast
1 of 3 verb
over·cast
overcast; overcasting
1
ˌō-vər-ˈkast,
ˈō-vər-ˌkast
: darken sense 1, overshadow
2
ˈō-vər-ˌkast
: to sew with stitches that prevent the material at the edge of a seam from coming apart
overcast
2 of 3 adjective
over·cast
ˌō-vər-ˈkast
ˌō-vər-ˈkast
: clouded over : gloomy
an overcast night
overcast
3 of 3 noun
over·cast
ˈō-vər-ˌkast
: covering
especially
: a covering of clouds over the sky
More from Merriam-Webster on overcast
Nglish: Translation of overcast for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of overcast for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share