overshadow

verb

over·​shad·​ow ˌō-vər-ˈsha-(ˌ)dō 

overshadowed; overshadowing; overshadows

transitive verb

1

: to cast a shadow over

2

: to exceed in importance : outweigh

Synonyms

• becloud
• bedim
• befog
• blacken
• blear
• blur
• cloud
• darken
• dim
• dislimn
• fog
• fuzz (up)
• haze
• mist
• obscure
• overcast
• overcloud
• shadow
• shroud

Examples of overshadow in a Sentence

The pitcher's outstanding performance should not overshadow the achievements of the rest of the team.

large trees overshadow the yard and darken the house for much of the day

Recent Examples on the Web

Kinder Morgan — The stock increased about 2.5% after the company increased its dividend, overshadowing mixed quarterly results. —Sean Conlon, CNBC, 18 July 2024

But pomp tends to overshadow politics at the annual event, at least among global spectators. —Armani Syed, TIME, 17 July 2024

But those positive developments were overshadowed by some gloomy notes about sagging demand elsewhere in the release. —Melvin Backman, Quartz, 17 July 2024

Still, this brand tends to be overshadowed by the big dogs of the luggage world — like Samsonite, Travelpro, and Béis — even though plenty of flight attendants give it five stars. —Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

overshadow

verb

over·​shad·​ow -ˈshad-ō 

1

: to cast a shadow over : darken

2

: to become more important than : outweigh

the win overshadowed the player's injury