overshadow

verb

over·​shad·​ow ˌō-vər-ˈsha-(ˌ)dō 

overshadowed; overshadowing; overshadows

transitive verb

1

: to cast a shadow over

2

: to exceed in importance : outweigh

Synonyms of overshadow

• obscure
• darken
• blur
• blacken

Examples of overshadow in a Sentence

The pitcher's outstanding performance should not overshadow the achievements of the rest of the team.

large trees overshadow the yard and darken the house for much of the day

Recent Examples on the Web

The trio rushed to finish their draft to avoid being overshadowed by an OpenAI press release. — Quanta Magazine, 7 Oct. 2026

However, the runner-up finish didn't overshadow his remarkable performance in the tournament — featuring eight goals and four assists. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026

The bigger issue overshadowing all of this is the need for more housing supply, many experts argue. — Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026

But some of that was still overshadowed by all the chaos that had to happen first. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 5 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for overshadow

• caddo
• foreshadow

Kids Definition

overshadow

verb

over·​shad·​ow -ˈshad-ō 

1

: to cast a shadow over : darken

2

: to become more important than : outweigh

the win overshadowed the player's injury