overarching

adjective

over·​arch·​ing ˌō-vər-ˈär-chiŋ 

1

: forming an arch overhead

an overarching bower

an overarching bridge

2

: dominating or embracing all else

overarching goals

overarching ambition

projects of overarching public benefit

—Bob Katz

Examples of overarching in a Sentence

Computer downtime is an overarching problem in all departments.

Recent Examples on the Web

This overarching label encompassed Anabaptists, Baptists, Brownists, Levelers, Antinomians, Presbyterians, Ranters and many of the highly individual prophets and seers of 1640s Britain. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026

This is to ensure conformance to an overarching body of human values, standards, cultural norms, expectations and usability considerations. — Keith Tidman, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026

To make up for this, Gray’s team tried to enlist several leading academic historians to instill more of an overarching narrative structure. — Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 24 Sep. 2026

Impact of federal legislation Data centers are regulated at the state and local levels because there is no overarching regulatory framework at the federal level. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 24 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1720, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for overarching

• arching
• marching
• parching