overshadow

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈsha-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce overshadow (audio)
Definition of overshadownext
1
as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct large trees overshadow the yard and darken the house for much of the day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to outweigh
to be greater in importance than later you'll find that verbal skills overshadow any skills you have at video games

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of overshadow Innovative mechanics and a soothing stretch mode make the LiberNovo Omni memorable, but its mediocre support ultimately overshadows its technical achievements. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026 Birds fly over houses overshadowed by the mountain in Nuuk, Greenland, on March 10, 2026. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 8 July 2026 Meanwhile, Will’s brother Joseph (Hunter Doohan) and his girlfriend Thya (Luciane Buchanan) struggle to keep the tension from completely overshadowing the funeral. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 July 2026 But inside disaster zones, politics is overshadowed by urgent daily needs. — Tibisay Zea, Christian Science Monitor, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for overshadow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overshadow
  1. obscure
  2. outweigh
  3. darken
  4. blur
  5. blacken
Verb
  • Gros Morne National Park combines relatively dark skies with the deepest eclipse in eastern North America, with nearly half of the sun obscured at maximum.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 19 July 2026
  • Severely nearsighted, Isul wore eyeglasses with thick plastic lenses, which obscured her lovely, small eyes.
    — Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
Definition of obscure
Verb
  • In particular, Waller noted the impact that the artificial intelligence boom is having, outweighing the waning impact from tariffs and the energy reversal.
    — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 13 July 2026
  • For now, experts say the risks outweigh the potential benefits.
    — Jenna Anderson, Health, 13 July 2026
Definition of outweigh
Verb
  • In these areas, petunias won’t grow as well when temperatures fall to 40°F; the plants will darken, turn limp and mushy, and die away with the first hard frost.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 14 July 2026
  • Sun exposure can darken new scars permanently and slow their healing, so Min recommended keeping them covered as much as possible.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 13 July 2026
Definition of darken
Verb
  • Boundaries of good and evil are blurred even further with the introduction of Batman’s most iconic villain, The Joker, played by Heath Ledger, who died before the film was released.
    — Lea Tran, TheWeek, 14 July 2026
  • This is the time of year when lines can get blurred, with competition often internal during summer league.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 12 July 2026
Definition of blur
Verb
  • Large sections of the ceiling were destroyed, blackened and charred, while the floor and tables below, some still with beer bottles on them, were blanketed in ash and debris.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
  • Pictures shared on social media after the fire was extinguished showed chairs and tables inside the pub completely charred and blackened, with parts of the ceiling peeling off.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 12 July 2026
Definition of blacken

Browse Nearby Words

oversexed
overshadow
overshadowed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overshadow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overshadow. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on overshadow

Nglish: Translation of overshadow for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dog days

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All