overcome

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌoʊ.vəɹˈkʌm/ UK /ˌəʊ.vəˈkʌm/ See IPA manual

Freq #5034

Meanings

1

verb
To successfully deal with or control a problem or difficulty.

She worked hard to overcome her fear of public speaking.
2

verb
To defeat someone in a battle, contest, or competition.

The home team overcame their rivals in the final minutes.
3

verb
To affect someone so strongly that they lose control, usually of their emotions.

He was overcome with grief at the news.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to successfully deal with... surmount conquer

2 verb · to defeat someone in a... defeat vanquish

3 verb · to affect someone so... overwhelm

Word family

Forms overcameovercomesovercomethovercoming

Derived forms overcomableovercomeableovercomerovercominglyunovercome

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

overcome a fear
gradually stop being afraid of something through effort

Verb + noun

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.

overcomen Middle English ofercuman Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# overcome

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˌoʊ.vəɹˈkʌm/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌəʊ.vəˈkʌm/
**Frequency rank:** 5034

## Meanings
1. To successfully deal with or control a problem or difficulty.
2. To defeat someone in a battle, contest, or competition.
3. To affect someone so strongly that they lose control, usually of their emotions.

## Examples
- She worked hard to overcome her fear of public speaking.
- The home team overcame their rivals in the final minutes.
- He was overcome with grief at the news.

## Derived Forms
- overcomable
- overcomeable
- overcomer
- overcomingly
- unovercome

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: overcomen
- Root: ofercuman
- Affix: over- - too much

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Overcome is 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. The historical chain includes Middle English overcomen and Old English ofercuman. Modern senses include to successfully deal with or control a problem or difficulty and to defeat someone in a battle, contest, or competition. The wider word family includes derivatives such as overcomable, overcomeable, overcomer, overcomingly, and unovercome.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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