Word
overseas
Phoneticsover·seas
/ˈoʊvɝˈsiz/
Definitions
01to or in a foreign country
B1 · Intermediate
adv. in or to another country, usually one across a sea or ocean.
adv. to or in a location across a sea; used to describe travel, residence, or operations in a foreign territory.
“Many students choose to study overseas to experience a different culture.”
“The company decided to expand its operations overseas after seeing significant demand for its products in the European and Asian markets.”
Usage
Typically follows the verb of movement or state.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02relating to foreign countries
B1 · Intermediate
adj. coming from, happening in, or relating to a foreign country.
adj. relating to, situated in, or coming from a country across the sea.
“The university has a large number of overseas students from all over the world.”
“The government is reviewing its overseas aid budget to ensure the funds are reaching the most vulnerable populations effectively.”
Usage
Attributive use only; it almost always appears before the noun it modifies.
Synonyms
03living in a foreign country
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic · Formal
adj. used to describe people of a certain nationality who live in a different country.
adj. denoting members of an ethnic or national group living outside their ancestral or home country.
“The festival was organized by the local overseas Chinese community.”
“The ministry established a new department to handle the specific legal and consular needs of its overseas citizens living in North America.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “overseas” in context.
Verb
01. expand overseas
“The tech startup plans to expand overseas after securing its second round of funding.”
verb + adv
02. live overseas
“Living overseas can be a challenging but rewarding experience for young professionals.”
verb + adv
03. send goods overseas
“The company uses a reliable courier service to send goods overseas to their international clients.”
verb + noun + adv
04. study overseas
“He applied for a scholarship to study overseas at a prestigious university in London.”
verb + adv
05. travel overseas
“Many students choose to travel overseas during their gap year to experience new cultures.”
verb + adv
06. work overseas
“She decided to work overseas for a year to improve her professional prospects and language skills.”
verb + adv
Preposition
07. from overseas
“The university attracts a large number of applications from overseas every year.”
prep + noun
08. overseas migration
Real-World Examples
“The boycott has meant a loss of about C$3.3bn ($2.35bn; £1.75bn) in travel revenue for the US last year - money that Canadians have instead chosen to spend overseas or exploring their own country.” “But if the government was seeking to reduce overseas student numbers, I think they have overcorrected.” “Natural resources are another lure for overseas powers.” Etymology
From earlier oversea, equivalent to oversea + -s. Compare West Frisian oerseesk, Dutch overzees, German Übersee, Danish oversøisk.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/overseas