override

1 of 2

verb

over·​ride ˌō-vər-ˈrīd 

ˌō-və-

overrode ˌō-vər-ˈrōd 

ˌō-və-

; overridden ˌō-vər-ˈri-dᵊn 

ˌō-və-

; overriding ˌō-vər-ˈrī-diŋ 

ˌō-və-

transitive verb

1

: to ride over or across : trample

overrode the thin line of defenders

2

: to ride (an animal, such as a horse) too much or too hard

3

a

: to prevail over : dominate

panic overrode everything else

—Marcia Davenport

b

: to set aside : annul

override a veto

the rights of the individual were being flagrantly overridden

—C. L. Jones

c

: to neutralize the action of (something, such as an automatic control)

You must enter a code to override the alarm.

4

: to extend or pass over

especially : overlap

Huge waves override the beach.

override

2 of 2

noun

over·​ride ˈō-vər-ˌrīd 

ˈō-və-

1

: a commission paid to managerial personnel on sales made by subordinates

2

: royalty sense 5a

3

: a device or system used to override a control

4

: an act or an instance of overriding

Example Sentences

Verb

Congress overrode the President's veto.

These new rules override the old ones.

Don't let anger override common sense.

You must enter a code to override the alarm.

She overrode the default settings on her computer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The state legislature voted 80 to 11, easily getting the two-thirds votes needed to override Gov. Stitt’s veto. —Nicole Chavez, CNN, 26 May 2023

The council unanimously voted to override the veto. —Katie Shepherd, Washington Post, 16 May 2023

But your state legislature has a super majority that could override it. —CBS News, 7 May 2023

But this year, the House voted 84-40 to override her veto, exactly what supporters needed. —John Hanna, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Apr. 2023

House Republicans there failed to get enough votes to override their GOP Gov. Doug Burgum’s veto of a bill that would have allowed state employees and teachers to misgender transgender students and staff. —Candy Woodall, USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2023

The driver can override the system, the company says, if the alert is incorrect or unnecessary. WISe can detect the presence of passengers in the vehicle and where they are seated. —IEEE Spectrum, 23 Mar. 2023

The rise of Ethyl was an old story: a private company’s reaping profits from a new innovation while socializing the costs of its unintended consequences and overriding the objections at the time through sheer commercial might. —Steven Johnson, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2023

Lawmakers responded by introducing legislation that would let individual cities and counties ban the procedure, a blatant attempt to override the will of the people. —Tori Otten, The New Republic, 9 Mar. 2023

Noun

The Legislature powered this bill and its subsequent override through in spite of the fact that there currently is one transgender girl competing in Utah high school sports. —Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 26 Mar. 2022

Progressives have demanded, among other measures, the end of the Electoral College, the override of state management of elections, statehood for Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia for purely partisan reasons, and the packing of the Supreme Court. —Robert Delahunty, National Review, 11 Aug. 2021

Veto override: The GOP majority legislature in Kentucky overrode Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. —Chuck Todd, NBC News, 30 Mar. 2023

The bill, which has now been made law by the legislature's override, puts into effect some of the strictest obstacles yet for the transgender community. —Justin Klawans, The Week, 29 Mar. 2023

Allard voted against the override. —Emily Goodykoontz, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Aug. 2022

And a Democratic supermajority ceding its power to a lame-duck Republican governor, who can now veto at will without the threat of an override. —Emma Platoff, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Aug. 2022

Cox, for his part, seemed to expect the override. —Nate Hochman, National Review, 25 Mar. 2022

Are there the votes for a veto override? —Laura Hancock, cleveland, 13 Aug. 2021

See More

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1931, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

override

verb

over·​ride

-ˈrīd

overrode

-ˈrōd

; overridden

-ˈrid-ᵊn

; overriding

-ˈrīd-iŋ

1

: to ride over or across : trample

2

: to ride a horse too much or too hard

3

a

: to take power away from : dominate

b

: annul sense 2

the congress overrode the president's veto

Legal Definition

override

1 of 2 transitive verb

over·​ride ˌō-vər-ˈrīd 

overrode -ˈrōd  ; overridden -ˈrid-ᵊn  ; overriding

1

: to prevail or take precedence over

if, as is often the case, federal constitutional principles override state statutory or common law

—H. P. Wilkins

2

: to set aside by virtue of superior authority

overrode the jury's sentencing recommendation

especially : annul sense 2

override a veto with the required majority

override

2 of 2 noun

over·​ride ˈō-vər-ˌrīd 

1

: a commission paid to managerial personnel on sales made by subordinates

called also override commission

2

: royalty

3

: an act or instance of overriding

a legislative override