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

Despite Camille being reduced to an inanimate object that can do little more than sit with a blank look in her eyes, her conversations with her overbearing mother don’t change that much. —Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2025

Many Reddit users were in support of Kathleen, labeling Susan as an overbearing mother. —John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 13 Jan. 2025

In Microsoft’s early days, Bill Gates’ employees described him as overbearing and a workplace bully. —Ashton Jackson, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024

The report also found certain antisemitic tropes, some that date back to Shakespeare’s times — the greedy Shylock, the nebbish man, the overbearing Jewish mother — are still alive. —Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 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