overbearing

adjective

over·​bear·​ing ˌō-vər-ˈber-iŋ 

1

a

: tending to overwhelm : overpowering

had to deal with his overbearing mother

b

: decisively important : dominant

didn't think it was the overbearing consideration here

—J. S. Cooper

2

: harshly and haughtily arrogant

the mayor's overbearing manner of dealing with employees

overbearingly

ˌō-vər-ˈber-iŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• arch
• big
• capital
• cardinal
• central
• chief
• dominant
• first
• foremost
• grand
• great
• greatest
• highest
• key
• leading
• main
• master
• number one
• No. 1
• numero uno
• overmastering
• overriding
• paramount
• predominant
• preeminent
• premier
• primal
• primary
• principal
• prior
• sovereign
• sovran
• supreme

Choose the Right Synonym for overbearing

proud, arrogant, haughty, lordly, insolent, overbearing, supercilious, disdainful mean showing scorn for inferiors.

proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness.

too proud to take charity

arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted.

a conceited and arrogant executive

haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position.

a haughty aristocrat

lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.

a lordly condescension

insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness.

ignored by an insolent waiter

overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence.

an overbearing supervisor

supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness.

an aloof and supercilious manner

disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness.

disdainful of their social inferiors

Examples of overbearing in a Sentence

He had to deal with his overbearing mother.

Her husband's overbearing manner made her miserable.

Recent Examples on the Web

The film follows Jordan Sanders (played by Hall), a demanding and successful tech mogul who tortures her employees with her overbearing presence. —Travis Bean, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024

Helmed by Roach, Meet the Parents focuses on a nurse (Stiller) having trouble getting accepted by his girlfriend’s overbearing father (De Niro). —Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 2024

Eau Triple Peruvian Heliotrope also uses tonka bean and violet notes for a hedonistic, velvety spritz that remains subtle on the skin and not overbearing. —Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024

Instead, however, the show traffics in tired stereotypes about modern Jews: the overbearing mother, a family obsession with how people make money, and strict community insularity. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

overbearing

adjective

over·​bear·​ing

-ˈba(ə)r-iŋ,

-ˈbe(ə)r-

: arrogant, domineering

overbearingly adverb