OVERCOME Synonyms: 160 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'overcome' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of overcome are conquer , defeat , overthrow , reduce , subdue , and vanquish . While all these words mean "to get the better of by force or strategy," overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle. // overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

Q: When could 'conquer' be used to replace 'overcome'?

While the synonyms conquer and overcome are close in meaning, conquer implies gaining mastery of. // Caesar conquered Gaul

Q: How are the words 'defeat' and 'vanquish' related as synonyms of 'overcome'?

Defeat does not imply the finality or completeness of vanquish which it otherwise equals. // the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

Q: When might 'overthrow' be a better fit than 'overcome'?

Although the words overthrow and overcome have much in common, overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power. // violently overthrew the old regime

Q: When is it sensible to use 'reduce' instead of 'overcome'?

While in some cases nearly identical to overcome , reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender. // the city was reduced after a month-long siege

Q: When can 'subdue' be used instead of 'overcome'?

The synonyms subdue and overcome are sometimes interchangeable, but subdue implies a defeating and suppression. // subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

Q: When would 'vanquish' be a good substitute for 'overcome'?

The words vanquish and overcome can be used in similar contexts, but vanquish implies a complete overpowering. // vanquished the enemy and ended the war

overcome 1 of 2

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈkəm

Definition of overcome

as in to defeat

to achieve a victory over the baseball team finally overcame their opponents in the 13th inning

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to overwhelm

to subject to incapacitating emotional or mental stress already under stress, she was overcome by news of a death in the family

Synonyms & Similar Words

overcome

2 of 2

adjective

as in uncovered

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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How does the verb overcome differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of overcome are conquer, defeat, overthrow, reduce, subdue, and vanquish. While all these words mean "to get the better of by force or strategy," overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

When could conquer be used to replace overcome?

While the synonyms conquer and overcome are close in meaning, conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

How are the words defeat and vanquish related as synonyms of overcome?

Defeat does not imply the finality or completeness of vanquish which it otherwise equals.

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

When might overthrow be a better fit than overcome?

Although the words overthrow and overcome have much in common, overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

When is it sensible to use reduce instead of overcome?

While in some cases nearly identical to overcome, reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

When can subdue be used instead of overcome?

The synonyms subdue and overcome are sometimes interchangeable, but subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

When would vanquish be a good substitute for overcome?

The words vanquish and overcome can be used in similar contexts, but vanquish implies a complete overpowering.

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of overcome

Verb

Lionel Messi and Argentina avoided one of the biggest ever World Cup knockout shocks by overcoming Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time of a jaw-dropping game. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 4 July 2026 By late spring, with markets overcoming Iran war fears and the SpaceX IPO and other offerings creating massive liquidity events, the Manhattan market sprang to life, brokers said. — Robert Frank, CNBC, 3 July 2026

Adjective

With themes of resilience, victory, and joy as a healing balm, Joy in the Belly of a Riot is a beautiful manifestation of how poetry has the power to heal and help one overcome pain. — Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overcome

Recent Examples of Synonyms for overcome

Verb

Egypt defeated Australia 4-2 in a penalty-kick shootout Friday after the teams played to a 1-1 tie after 120 minutes in Arlington, Texas.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
The short version is that after defeating the Kilrathi at the climax of Wing Commander 3, Mark Hamill’s Christopher Blair retires to a backwater world to live out a life in peace and obscurity.

— Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 3 July 2026

Definition of defeat

Verb

The city is recommending zoning regulations that fall in line with state statute while trying to calm residents who are worried data centers will overwhelm resources like water and energy and impose on their quality of life.

— Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 2 July 2026
But the ownership group is overwhelmed by left-wing politics.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of overwhelm

Adjective

How To Keep It Cleaner Longer While synthetic wicker furniture is built to take the elements, wicker pieces woven from natural materials are porous and are not meant to be left out in uncovered areas.

— Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 19 June 2026
So will many of you seated in uncovered sections.

— Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026

Definition of uncovered

Verb

Twin earthquakes on June 24 devastated Venezuela, with more than 3,300 deaths and more than 30,000 people reported missing.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Their larvae, which burrow into the flesh of cattle and can be fatal if untreated, can devastate wildlife and bring financial ruin to ranchers.

— Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 4 July 2026

Definition of devastate

Adjective

And for many women, tapping into that passive income could be a real lifeline in a cost-of-living crisis.

— Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 July 2026
The physical configuration achieves passive safety operational profiles by relying on subcritical physics variables and inherent material limitations.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026

Definition of passive

Verb

There’s a fleet of school supplies to amass, multiple schedules to master, and a lot of stress—both for my kiddos and on my end.

— Melissa Willets, Parents, 6 July 2026
Faculty across the country increasingly report spending more time teaching skills that many students once mastered before arriving on campus.

— Scott White, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of master

Adjective

It is considered unsafe to swim in the rivers for at least 48 hours after a storm.

— Finch Walker, USA Today, 5 July 2026
As repair and evaluation work continues following major breaks in the Haverhill sewer line over a week ago, a nonprofit’s testing is still showing unsafe levels of fecal bacteria downstream in the Merrimack River.

— Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 5 July 2026

Definition of unsafe

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“Overcome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overcome. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of overcome

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