overcome

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To successfully deal with or control a problem or difficulty.

   She worked hard to overcome her fear of public speaking.

2. 2
   verb

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

   The home team overcame their rivals in the final minutes.

3. 3
   verb

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

   He was overcome with grief at the news.

Common collocations

• overcome a fear Verb + noun

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.

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