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

• obscure
• darken
• blur
• blacken

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

And once the dust clears, the mystery is overshadowed by all the broken people left in its wake. —Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025

All he’s expected to do is elevate the profile of a traditionally mid-level Power 4 program long overshadowed by its basketball counterparts. —Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025

Once overshadowed by penicillin, phage research is now getting a second look as scientists race to find new ways to fight infections. —Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025

Recent editions of Eurovision have been overshadowed by opposition to Israel's participation in the contest over its continuing military assault on Gaza, which has killed more than 64,000 people, according to local health authorities. —Sachin Ravikumar, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for overshadow

• caddo
• foreshadow

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