overland

1 of 2

adverb

over·​land ˈō-vər-ˌland How to pronounce overland (audio)
-lənd
: by, on, or across land

overland

2 of 2

adjective

: going or accomplished over the land instead of by sea
overland emigrants
an overland route

Examples of overland in a Sentence

Adverb We traveled overland by horse to the mountains.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
At the end of the school year, my father loaded my brother Scott into a VW van and set off overland for India. Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2024 Soon, the first waves of Arab refugees, mainly from the Jaffa area, were arriving in Gaza; in a bitter anticipation of today’s international dilemma, the British suggested that the area would have better access to humanitarian relief overland from Cairo. Jean-Pierre Filiu, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2024 Like with many traditional safari itineraries, visitors to Patagonia often travel to several spots in the mountainous region either overland or on a small plane. Hillary Richard, Robb Report, 2 Jan. 2024 Kayak or take a zodiac boat among the icebergs, trek overland and camp out overnight on the ice, try ice fishing, or simply sit back and take it all in from the ship’s sun deck. Scott Laird, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Nov. 2023 Another is to ship goods from Asia to the West Coast ports — and then transport them overland by train or truck. Peter Eavis Nathalia Angarita, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2023 The assault began early Saturday when Hamas launched thousands of rockets toward Israeli cities and sent militants into Israeli territory overland and by using paragliders and speedboats. Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2023 If traveling to the West Bank from abroad, they have generally not been allowed to transit through the only international airport in the area, near Tel Aviv, but must instead go overland from neighboring Jordan. Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2023 The 14 drones were being shipped overland through Kazakhstan when they were flagged by customs officials for lacking the proper export paperwork. Joby Warrick, Anchorage Daily News, 19 July 2023
Adjective
Read More: The Mental Health Toll of the War in Gaza Administration officials said their preference was to further increase overland aid deliveries through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom border points and to try to get Israel to open the Erez Crossing into northern Gaza. TIME, 1 Mar. 2024 Highlights include traversing the Panama Canal; overland trips to Iguazu Fall, Machu Picchu, and the Galápagos; and visits to the Falkland Islands, Torres del Paine National Park, and, of course, Antarctica. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 15 Nov. 2023 The grandmother is the oldest in the Roh family, whose harrowing overland journey from North Korea to Thailand provides the spine of director-editor Madeleine Gavin’s engrossing film. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2023 Attempts are also being made to insulate overland pipelines and power cables from hot lava. Louise Rasmussen and Johannes Birkebaek, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jan. 2024 Since the war began in 2022, Ukraine has mainly used overland routes for its exports because of Russia’s attempt to blockade the Black Sea. Constant Méheut, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2024 Visa requirements are forcing a growing number of people to take this dangerous overland route. Manuel Rueda, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Oct. 2023 The Nicaraguan government, led by longtime president Daniel Ortega, does not restrict entry of Africans, and by starting their overland journey there, migrants are spared the perilous trek through the Darien Gap, a dense jungle between Colombia and Panama. Miriam Jordan, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2024 The first convoy organized by the United States to evacuate hundreds of American citizens from the conflict reached the coastal city of Port Sudan Saturday after a dangerous overland journey escorted by armed drones. Noha Elhennawy and Isabel Debre, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overland.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overland was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near overland

Cite this Entry

“Overland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overland. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

overland

adverb or adjective
over·​land
ˈō-vər-ˌland,
-lənd
: by, on, or across land

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