overshadow

/ˌəʊ.vəˈʃæd.əʊ/

//ˌəʊ.vəˈʃæd.əʊ// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"overshadow" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“overshadow” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #41,295 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#41,295
frequency rank, English
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To obscure something by casting a shadow.

Key facts for overshadow
PropertyValue
Headwordovershadow
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌəʊ.vəˈʃæd.əʊ/
Letters10
Frequency rank#41,295
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “overshadow” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). overshadow lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for overshadow is 10 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌəʊ.vəˈʃæd.əʊ/. Corpus data places it at rank #41,295 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for overshadow, with forms such as "oevrshadow", "overhsadow", and "overrshadow". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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 overshado… The correct English form is overshadow, spelled O-V-E-R-S-H-A-D-O-W.

Definition

  1. 1
    To obscure something by casting a shadow.
  2. 2
    To dominate something and make it seem insignificant.
  3. 3
    To shelter or protect.

Etymology

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”).

Synonyms

eclipseoutshadowoutshineoutdoput to shameupstagesurpassoutmatchoutstripdwarf

This word in other languages

ensombrecer(Español)ombrager(Français)überschatten(Deutsch)eclipsar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: oevrshadow,overhsadow,overrshadow,oversahdow,overshaddow,overshadoww,overshadwo,overshaodw,overshdaow,overshhadow,oversshadow,ovesrhadow,ovreshadow,ovvershadow,voershadow

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of overshadow - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

oevrshadow2overhsadow2overrshadow1oversahdow2overshaddow1overshadoww1overshadwo2overshaodw2
Edit distance from "overshadow"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "overshadow"?
"overshadow" is spelled O-V-E-R-S-H-A-D-O-W. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌəʊ.vəˈʃæd.əʊ/.
What does "overshadow" mean?
As a verb, "overshadow" means: To obscure something by casting a shadow.
What are common misspellings of "overshadow"?
Common misspellings include "oevrshadow", "overhsadow", "overrshadow", "oversahdow", "overshaddow". The correct spelling is "overshadow".
How do you pronounce "overshadow"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "overshadow" is /ˌəʊ.vəˈʃæd.əʊ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "overshadow"?
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... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “overshadow”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is O-V-E-R-S-H-A-D-O-W - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌəʊ.vəˈʃæd.əʊ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list