overcome

verb

over·​come ˌō-vər-ˈkəm 

overcame ˌō-vər-ˈkām  ; overcome; overcoming

transitive verb

1

: to get the better of : surmount

overcome difficulties

They overcame the enemy.

2

: overwhelm

were overcome by the heat and smoke

intransitive verb

: to gain the superiority : win

strong in the faith that truth would overcome

Synonyms

• beat
• best
• conquer
• defeat
• dispatch
• do down [British]
• get
• get around
• lick
• master
• overbear
• overmatch
• prevail (over)
• skunk
• stop
• subdue
• surmount
• take
• trim
• triumph (over)
• upend
• win (against)
• worst

Choose the Right Synonym for overcome

conquer, vanquish, defeat, subdue, reduce, overcome, overthrow mean to get the better of by force or strategy.

conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

vanquish implies a complete overpowering.

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

defeat does not imply the finality or completeness of vanquish which it otherwise equals.

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

Examples of overcome in a Sentence

After a tough battle, they overcame the enemy.

a story about overcoming adversity

She overcame a leg injury and is back running again.

Recent Examples on the Web

Advertisement After nearly seven years of overcoming bureaucratic and pandemic hurdles, the project is finished. —Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024

Of his 79 receptions for 731 yards and three touchdowns, the brunt came his rookie year (43-430-2), highlighted by his overcoming the flu in Chicago to produce 92 yards and six catches on six targets in Jimmy Garoppolo’s victorious starting debut. —Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2024

And, as Mistress Isabelle Brooks, Kandy Muse, The Vixen, and more can attest to, that's a difficult hurdle — and often unfair label — for anyone to overcome (especially for queens of color). —Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 16 Apr. 2024

CFOs must also overcome some real obstacles to make it to the top job. —Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024

All that mass is overcome by 1,000 hp routed through three motors, offering a maximalist answer to the pickup-truck question nobody asked. —Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2024

When Jason announced his retirement from the NFL in March, Travis was overcome with emotion as his big brother spoke about their close bond. —Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2024

Widely rolled out detection tools could put more pressure on non-native speakers who are already tasked with overcoming language barriers. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 11 Apr. 2024

Sonia Lapinsky, head of the fashion practice at AlixPartners, said that the total luxury sector has grown 9.6 percent since 2019, overcoming a 2020 dip. —Omari Daniels, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English ofercuman, from ofer over + cuman to come

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

overcome

verb

over·​come ˌō-vər-ˈkəm 

overcame -ˈkām  ; overcome; overcoming

1

: to gain an advantage or victory over

overcome an enemy

2

: to make helpless or exhausted

was overcome by gas