ENGLISH
REFERENCE

overshadow

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈoʊvɝˈʃædoʊ// UK //ˌəʊvəʃˈædəʊ// over·shad·ow

v. to make something else look less important or less impressive. It can also mean to block the light from something, like a tree blocking the sun.

v. to cast a shadow over something, or to make a person or thing seem less important or impressive by comparison. Transitive — requires a direct object.


SIMPLE

The bad news will overshadow the good results.

CONTEXTUAL

The success of the new movie overshadowed the director's previous failures, making him a household name.

COMPLEX

While the technical achievements of the project were significant, the ethical concerns raised by the researchers overshadowed the scientific breakthroughs in the public eye.

Synonyms
Origin

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”).

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