Word: overshadow (verb)

Associations

"Overshadow" means to appear more important, impressive, or noticeable than something else, so that the other thing seems less important or less good.

• In a sentence: "Her talent overshadowed everyone else in the competition." Here, her talent was so strong that others seemed less important.
• "The big building overshadowed the small houses nearby." This means the building was so tall or large that it blocked the light or attention from the small houses.
• "His bad behavior overshadowed his good work." This means the bad behavior made people forget or ignore the good work. A synonym is "eclipse," but "eclipse" often means completely hiding or blocking, while "overshadow" can mean just being more noticeable or important.

Substitution

Instead of "overshadow," you can use:

• "outshine" – means to be better or more impressive.
• "dominate" – means to have more control or influence.
• "eclipse" – means to hide or block completely. Each word changes the meaning slightly. For example, "outshine" is more positive, while "dominate" can be neutral or negative.

Deconstruction

The word "overshadow" has two parts:

• "over" – means above or more than.
• "shadow" – means a dark shape made when something blocks light. Together, "overshadow" means to cast a shadow over something, either literally or in a way that makes it less noticed.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when something or someone overshadowed something else in your life?
• How does it feel to be overshadowed by someone or something?
• Can "overshadow" be used in a positive way? Why or why not?