ENGLISH
REFERENCE

overshadowed

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌoʊvɝˈʃædoʊd// UK //ˌəʊvəʃˈædəʊd// over·shad·owed

adj. feeling less important or less successful because someone else is much more impressive than you. It also describes a situation where one bad thing makes people forget about all the good things.

adj. appearing less significant, impressive, or prominent by comparison with something else. Often used to describe a person's achievements being eclipsed by a peer or a positive event being ruined by a negative one.


SIMPLE

He felt overshadowed by his famous older sister.

CONTEXTUAL

The team's impressive victory was overshadowed by the news that their star player had suffered a serious injury.

COMPLEX

Despite her groundbreaking research in physics, her contributions were frequently overshadowed by the more flamboyant personalities of her male colleagues during the mid-century scientific boom.

Synonyms
Usage

Participial adjective; frequently follows linking verbs like 'feel', 'be', or 'become'.

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