overshadow

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌoʊ.vɚˈʃæd.oʊ/ UK /ˌəʊ.vəˈʃæd.əʊ/ See IPA manual

Freq #53050

Meanings

1

verb
To make someone or something seem less important by being more impressive or noticeable.

Her younger brother's success overshadowed her own achievements.
2

verb
To spoil an event or occasion by making it seem less happy or important.

The good news was overshadowed by the tragedy.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to make someone or... eclipse dwarf outshine

2 verb · to spoil an event or... eclipse

Word family

Forms overshadowedovershadowingovershadows

Derived forms overshadowerovershadowinglyovershadowment

Etymology

From Middle English overschadwen, overschadewe, from Old English ofersċeadwian (“to overshadow”), equivalent to over- + shadow. Compare with West Frisian oerskaduwe (“to overshadow”), Dutch overschaduwen (“to overshadow”), German überschatten (“to overshadow”), Gothic 𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽 (ufarskadwjan, “to overshadow”), and more distantly, Old Norse yfirskyggja (“to overshadow”), Danish overskygge (“to overshadow”), Swedish överskugga (“to overshadow”), Old English ofersċūwan (“to overshadow”).

overschadwen Middle English ofersċeadwian Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# overshadow

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˌoʊ.vɚˈʃæd.oʊ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌəʊ.vəˈʃæd.əʊ/
**Frequency rank:** 53050

## Meanings
1. To make someone or something seem less important by being more impressive or noticeable.
2. To spoil an event or occasion by making it seem less happy or important.

## Examples
- Her younger brother's success overshadowed her own achievements.
- The good news was overshadowed by the tragedy.

## Derived Forms
- overshadower
- overshadowingly
- overshadowment

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: overschadwen
- Root: ofersċeadwian

## Etymology
From Middle English overschadwen, overschadewe, from Old English ofersċeadwian (“to overshadow”), equivalent to over- + shadow. Compare with West Frisian oerskaduwe (“to overshadow”), Dutch overschaduwen (“to overshadow”), German überschatten (“to overshadow”), Gothic 𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽 (ufarskadwjan, “to overshadow”), and more distantly, Old Norse yfirskyggja (“to overshadow”), Danish overskygge (“to overshadow”), Swedish överskugga (“to overshadow”), Old English ofersċūwan (“to overshadow”).

## AI Etymology
Overshadow comes from Middle English overschadwen, overschadewe, from Old English ofersċeadwian (“to overshadow”), equivalent to over- + shadow. Compare with West Frisian oerskaduwe (“to overshadow”), Dutch overschaduwen (“to overshadow”), German überschatten (“to overshadow”), Gothic 𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽 (ufarskadwjan, “to overshadow”), and more distantly, Old Norse yfirskyggja (“to overshadow”), Danish overskygge (“to overshadow”), Swedish överskugga (“to overshadow”), Old English ofersċūwan (“to overshadow”). The historical chain includes Middle English overschadwen and Old English ofersċeadwian. Modern senses include to make someone or something seem less important by being more impressive or noticeable and to spoil an event or occasion by making it seem less happy or important.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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