Overgrow: meaning, definitions and examples

physical growth

To overgrow means to grow excessively or beyond the normal limits, often in reference to plants or vegetation. It can describe how a plant expands its size and coverage, overtaking other plants or structures. This term can also denote how certain areas become untamed or wild due to unchecked growth. Overgrowth can lead to a range of ecological issues, including the displacement of native species. It is often used in gardening and landscaping contexts to describe the need for maintenance or trimming.

crowd, invade, overrun, proliferate, thicken

Examples of usage

• The garden began to overgrow after weeks without care.

• We need to cut back the bushes before they overgrow the pathway.

• The forest tends to overgrow in the absence of controlled burns.

• If left unattended, the weeds will overgrow the entire area.