English Explanatory Dictionary

overcome

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To surmount (a physical or abstract obstacle); to prevail over, to get the better of.
  2. To prevail.
  3. To recover from (a difficulty), to get over.
  4. To win against or prevail over in some sort of battle, contest, etc.
  5. To come or pass over; to spread over.
  6. To overflow; to surcharge.
noun
  1. The burden or recurring theme in a song.
  2. A surplus.
adj
  1. That has been overcome, prevailed over.

Pronunciation

ō′vər-kŭm′ /ˌəʊ.vəˈkʌm/ /ˌoʊ.vəɹˈkʌm/ En-us-overcome.ogg /ˌəʉ.vəˈkɐm/ /ˌɐʉ.vɐˈkɐm/ /ˌo.vəɹˈkʌm/ /ˌoː.vəʳˈkəm/

Word forms

overcome overcomes overcoming overcame o'ercome

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English overcomen, inherited from Old English ofercuman (“to overcome, subdue, compel, conquer, obtain, attain, reach, overtake”). By surface analysis, over- + come. Cognate with Dutch overkomen, German überkommen, Danish overkomme, Swedish överkomma.

Synonyms

vanquish overtake beaten recreant undone foiled bested broken confounded conquered defeated licked overcome overpowered pwned rekt routed stonkered subjugated thwarted vanquished worsted wrecked

Derived words

overcomable overcomeable overcomer overcomingly unovercome
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
Back to search All on O Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary