Overbear: meaning, definitions and examples

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overbear

 

[ oʊvərˈbɛər ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

dominate situation

To overbear means to dominate or override someone or something to an excessive degree. It often implies a sense of overpowering or harsh treatment, where one party exerts an undue influence over another.

Synonyms

control, dominate, overpower, subdue

Examples of usage

  • His opinions often overbear the discussions in meetings.
  • The manager's overbearing attitude made the team uncomfortable.
  • She felt overwhelmed by her overbearing parents.
  • The loud music seemed to overbear the conversation at the party.

Translations

Translations of the word "overbear" in other languages:

🇵🇹 dominar

🇮🇳 अधिक शक्ति से नियंत्रित करना

🇩🇪 überwältigen

🇮🇩 menguasai

🇺🇦 переважати

🇵🇱 przeważać

🇯🇵 圧倒する

🇫🇷 dominer

🇪🇸 dominar

🇹🇷 üstün gelmek

🇰🇷 압도하다

🇸🇦 يتفوق

🇨🇿 převládnout

🇸🇰 prevládnuť

🇨🇳 压倒

🇸🇮 prevladati

🇮🇸 yfirbuga

🇰🇿 жеребтеу

🇬🇪 ზემოქმედება

🇦🇿 üstünlük təşkil etmək

🇲🇽 dominar

Word origin

The word "overbear" has its roots in the early Middle English word "overberen," which is a compound of "over" meaning 'above' or 'excessively' and "beren," which means 'to carry' or 'to bear.' The evolution of the term carried connotations of bearing down excessively on someone or something. Historically, it has been used to describe oppressive behavior, particularly in contexts where one party might unjustly impose their will or authority over another. Over time, 'overbear' has retained the essence of its original meanings, often used in literary and conversational settings to describe scenarios where dominance is exercised in an unwelcome or excessive manner.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #37,860, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.