overpass

1 of 2

verb

over·​pass ˌō-vər-ˈpas 

overpassed; overpassing; overpasses

transitive verb

1

: to pass across, over, or beyond : cross

also : surpass

2

: transgress

3

: disregard, ignore

overpass

2 of 2

noun

over·​pass ˈō-vər-ˌpas 

: a crossing of two highways or of a highway and pedestrian path or railroad at different levels where clearance to traffic on the lower level is obtained by elevating the higher level

also : the upper level of such a crossing

Synonyms

Verb

• blink (at)
• brush (aside or off)
• condone
• discount
• disregard
• excuse
• forgive
• gloss (over)
• gloze (over)
• ignore
• overlook
• paper over
• pardon
• pass over
• remit
• shrug off
• whitewash
• wink (at)

Examples of overpass in a Sentence

Verb

to keep peace in the family, he was forced to overpass his in-laws' frequent put-downs

a filmmaker whose technical bravura overpasses his ability to tell a coherent story

Noun

Boys stood beneath the highway overpass.

Traffic was stalled on the overpass.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Du had crashed his black Audi into the center divide along Interstate 8 under an Interstate 805 overpass. —Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2024

Other activity hubs will have plenty to do at the endpoints and on Monterey under the Capitol Expressway overpass there’ll be a rock-climbing wall and a live art demo. —Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2024

News helicopters hovered overhead, documenting the chase, and Angelinos raced from their homes and gathered along area highways and on overpasses to watch the extraordinary drama unfold in real time. —Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2024

The worker was ejected from the crane and fell from the overpass to the ground. —Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024

Bystanders can be heard giving running commentary from an overpass. —David McKenzie, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024

Millions of viewers tuned in to witness the chase and as onlookers crowded onto freeway overpasses catch a glimpse of the chase in real time. —Louis Casiano, Fox News, 11 Apr. 2024

With senior setter/opposite Brandon Pho going back to serve, Torrey Pines put together a run and eventually won, 17-15, on an overpass kill by none other than Connell. —Tim Meehan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2024

The Rainbow Bridge was recently voted Idaho’s most iconic overpass and ranked in the top 40 bridges across the U.S. in an online survey conducted by a South Florida Volkswagen dealership. —Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 31 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1929, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

overpass

1 of 2 verb

over·​pass ˌō-vər-ˈpas 

1

: to pass across, over, or beyond

2

: surpass

3

: disregard entry 1, ignore

overpass

2 of 2 noun

over·​pass ˈō-vər-ˌpas 

1

: a crossing (as of two highways or of a highway and railroad) at different levels usually by means of a bridge

2

: the upper level of an overpass