overland

1 of 2

adverb

over·​land ˈō-vər-ˌland 

-lənd

: by, on, or across land

overland

2 of 2

adjective

: going or accomplished over the land instead of by sea

overland emigrants

an overland route

Examples of overland in a Sentence

Adverb

We traveled overland by horse to the mountains.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Cargo that would have moved through Dubai’s Jebel Ali — the Middle East’s most connected container port, which is now largely cut off from global freighters — is now entering through smaller harbors in Fujairah and Oman, then moving overland. —Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026

Unlike the Persian Gulf oil supply, some of which can be routed overland, LNG is well and truly stuck until the Hormuz crisis is resolved. —Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026

Adjective

The conflict in Iran has boosted the strategic value of overland energy routes across Eurasia. April 6, 2026 at 6:15 a.m. EDT Ken Moriyasu, a former correspondent for the Japanese newspaper Nikkei, is a senior fellow for greater Asia at the Hudson Institute. —Ken Moriyasu, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2026

There was no direct overland route, so cross-country mail got routed via steamship around South America. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overland

• ampersand
• beforehand
• behindhand
• bottomland
• contraband
• countermand
• dixieland
• fairyland
• fatherland
• firebrand
• hinterland
• motherland

Kids Definition

overland

adverb or adjective

over·​land

ˈō-vər-ˌland, 

-lənd

: by, on, or across land