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

• dominate

Noun

• lookout
• observatory
• tower

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

An icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe keeps watch from the mantel; a painting of her cat wearing a crown overlooks her shelves and shelves of books. —Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 7 Aug. 2025

As South America’s second smallest country, Uruguayan wine is often overlooked for Argentina and Chile. —Michelle Williams, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025

Noun

Visitors can see the Canyon from overlooks on the South Rim, such as Mather Point and the popular sunrise/sunset viewing spot Hopi Point. —Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 2 Aug. 2025

Cross wooden boardwalks over wetlands, hike to river overlooks, and search for fossils and shark teeth at Fossil Beach. —Erin Gifford, Southern Living, 24 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1861, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overlook

• kinderhook
• meadowbrook
• overtook
• pocketbook
• storybook
• tillamook
• undertook
• betook
• casebook
• chapbook
• checkbook
• chinook

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