overriding

adjective

over·​rid·​ing ˌō-vər-ˈrī-diŋ How to pronounce overriding (audio)
ˌō-və-
: chief, principal
an overriding concern

Examples of overriding in a Sentence

We have one overriding concern. The weather is the overriding factor in deciding whether to cancel the picnic.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Tokyo also needs to balance its economic needs with its overriding strategic priority: preserving its security relationship with Washington. Robert Ward, NPR, 27 May 2025 This is the overriding principle that shapes all later instructions in Augustinian rule. Joanne M. Pierce, The Conversation, 27 May 2025 But there’s an overriding sense of moral emptiness and a whiff of sulfur. Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 20 May 2025 While the future of the Iranian nuclear program and expanding the Abraham Accords dominate the agenda, there is an overriding strategic imperative behind Trump’s visit. Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for overriding

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overriding was in 1830

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overriding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overriding. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.

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