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

• becloud
• bedim
• befog
• blacken
• blear
• blur
• cloud
• darken
• dim
• dislimn
• fog
• fuzz (up)
• haze
• mist
• obscure
• overcast
• overcloud
• shadow
• shroud

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

But these early flubs, which Google chalked up to misinterpretations or a lack of data, have so far overshadowed another possible drawback: the financial and environmental cost of AI search. —Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 11 June 2024

Batman watch on prime video The Crow Year: 1994 Runtime: 1h 41m Director: Alex Proyas The tragic death of Brandon Lee overshadowed the legacy of this adaptation of the comic book of the same name. —Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 11 June 2024

None of these questions should overshadow the development of 2023 first-round pick Darnell Wright at right tackle. —Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 9 June 2024

With only eight half-hour episodes to flesh out what is an unusually large cast of characters for this sort of show, the family members’ vividness can overshadow the personalities of Queenie’s core group of girlfriends, co-workers, and the parade of suitors who await her post-breakup. —Judy Berman, TIME, 7 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

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

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