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 of overshadow

• 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

His story has been overshadowed by the Girl’s. —Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026

Those concerns appeared to overshadow the latest consumer price index reading released Friday. —Sean Conlon,alex Harring, CNBC, 16 Feb. 2026

While there is good reason to honor what came before, there is every reason to appreciate what is happening right now, and therein lies the issue that somehow managed to overshadow even the towering Hasheem Thabeet on a strange night in Storrs. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2026

Struggling at times during his first two regular seasons with the Dodgers while Ohtani was twice voted National League MVP, Yamamoto was originally overshadowed by the greatest player in history. —Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2026

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