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

Plus, the industry’s focus on value overshadowed other marketing initiatives, like its Fiery menu. —Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024

The game's general atmosphere was overshadowed by the social media videos. —Dennis Romero, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024

While education issues can get overshadowed in a major election where voters are deciding who will control the White House, Senate and House, Pringle said her group is working hard to make sure the ballot measure don’t get ignored. —Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 4 Nov. 2024

Unlike earlier this year, when the state Democratic and Republican parties were more involved in referendum campaigns, this referendum has been largely overshadowed by the races at the top of the ballot. —Hope Karnopp, Journal Sentinel, 31 Oct. 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