overcomeverb
uk/ˌəʊ.vəˈkʌm/us/ˌoʊ.vɚˈkʌm/overcame, overcomeovercome verb (DEAL WITH)
B2 [ I or T ] to defeat or succeed in controlling or dealing with something:
Juventus overcame Ajax in a thrilling game.
to overcome difficulties/obstacles/problems/resistance
Eventually she managed to overcome her shyness in class.
20,000 demonstrators sang "We shall overcome" as they marched through Washington.
More examples
- Their resolute opposition to new working methods was difficult to overcome.
- The plan was designed to help women and minorities overcome discrimination in the workplace.
- He overcame all obstacles in his path to the top.
- What are the prospects for overcoming the strife between the Christian minority and Muslim majority?
- This film reveals their resourcefulness in overcoming appalling weather and treacherous terrain.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Dealing with things or people
- attend to sb/sth
- beard the lion (in his/her den) idiom
- come up against sth
- come/get to grips with sth idiom
- confront
- cut
- firefighting
- get sth in
- inherit
- jump-start
- negotiate
- process
- reckon
- reckon with sb/sth
- see about sth
- see to sth/sb
- set about sth
- sort
- turn
- weather
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overcome verb (UNABLE TO ACT)
C2 [ T usually passive ] to prevent someone from being able to act or think in the usual way:
They were overcome by fumes from the fire and had to be carried out of their houses.
Overcome with/by emotion, she found herself unable to speak for a few minutes.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Preventing and impeding
- avert
- avoid
- avoidable
- bar
- be a drag on sb/sth idiom
- block sth out
- blot
- bottleneck
- derail
- fireproof
- hold out on sb
- hold sb/sth back
- hold/keep sb/sth at bay idiom
- holding pattern
- impede
- prevention is better than cure idiom
- preventive
- prohibit
- pull
- pull the rug from under sb's feet idiom
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