verb

overcome

oh-ver-KUM/ˌoʊvərˈkʌm/

To defeat or gain mastery over someone or something.

She overcomes each new obstacle with patience and careful planning.

A climber reaches the top of a steep wall after passing the final obstacle, while the rope and scraped knees show the difficulty they defeated.

Etymology

The combination of ofer and cuman expressed reaching or passing over, and already also meant conquering. Its later application to difficulties treats successful action as surmounting an obstacle.

In context

TED speaker5:03

Start by discussing the issues. We cannot overcome what we ignore.

Want to change the world? Start by being brave enough to care | Cleo Wade

Eddie Pinero speaker0:13

maybe hesitation, time management. These are obstacles we all have to overcome.

The Problem With Perfect - Motivational Video

More examples

Our team overcame the defending champions in the final.
He has overcome his fear of speaking in public.
They are overcoming technical problems before the launch.

Forms

overcome · overcomes · overcame · overcoming

Similar words

defeat: Emphasizes beating an opponent rather than handling a difficulty.
conquer: Suggests decisive mastery, often requiring considerable effort or persistence.
surmount: Focuses on getting past an obstacle or difficulty.