over·look
ˌō-vər-ˈlu̇k 
overlooked; overlooking; overlooks
1
: to look over : inspect
took down a map and overlooked it—
Eileen Duggan
Eileen Duggan2
a
: to look down upon from above
do not like living near water, and prefer not to be overlooked—G. W. B. Huntingford
G. W. B. Huntingford
b
: to rise above or afford a view of
the mountains that overlook the village
3
a
: to look past : miss
whose sharpened senses overlook nothing—Richard Semon
Richard Semon
b
: ignore sense 1
learned to overlook her boyfriend's minor faults
c
: excuse sense 2
minor misdemeanors may sometimes be overlooked—Punch
Punch4
: superintend, oversee
The chaperones will overlook the students' behavior on the field trip.
5
: to look on with the evil eye : bewitch
a baby that has been overlooked will begin to pine away—F. G. Cassidy
F. G. Cassidy
over·look
ˈō-vər-ˌlu̇k
: a place from which one may look down on a scene below
plenty of overlooks and trails—Thelma H. Bell
Thelma H. Bell
Synonyms
Examples of overlook in a Sentence
Verb
The detective overlooked an important clue.
Such a crime should not be overlooked.
The quarterback was overlooked by other teams.
the mountains that overlook the village
We rented a suite that overlooks the lake.
Noun
just down the road there's a great overlook where you can get a panoramic view of the valley below
Recent Examples on the WebSpin Staff, SPIN, 16 Apr. 2024
Here's how to read the results Springboro Community City School District, for example, overlooked more than 800 students in kindergarten through second grade who were all on track to meet state standards in early literacy last spring.
—The Enquirer, 16 Apr. 2024
Built in 1991, the home overlooks the golf course at The Fountaingrove Club in Santa Rosa, California.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2024
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked lush hills, and a herd of life-size elk and deer models stood in the sun.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
The efforts that Brower and the faculty have been making to improve PLNU haven’t gone overlooked by Mary Walshok, the prominent sociologist who grew UC San Diego’s Extension program into a massive training ground for the local labor market.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
In pursuit of the deal, the administration overlooked Iran’s malign activity around the world — its sponsorship of terrorism and its destabilizing attacks through its proxies in the region.
—The Editors, National Review, 14 Apr. 2024
Unlike many competitors, the company also trains workers for network operations and field repair, with a focus on people and communities long overlooked during earlier periods of economic and technological change.
—Russ Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2024
White Grecian-style villas with private plunge pools overlook a rugged, mile-long stretch of private beach peppered with swaying palm trees.
—Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2024
Stacy Ryburn, arkansasonline.com, 9 Apr. 2024
Situated on a slightly elevated parcel, the home overlooks both the fairway and lagoon.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
The road dead-ends at the overlook, which has a very small parking lot, sometimes overseen by rangers and volunteers, who often have to help drivers turn around.
—Tom Bentley, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2024
The trail will pass the ecology center and include a river overlook and trailhead with a bathroom, bike racks and a parking lot.
—John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 10 Jan. 2024
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Rainbow Bridge would remain as a scenic overlook, BoiseDev reported.
—Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 31 Mar. 2024
Bieri says travelers can easily spend two days driving around to overlooks and other sites in New River Gorge.
—Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024
The Bureau of Land Management, which controls it, describes the area as hilly with overlooks of the Sacramento River.
—Phil Helsel, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024
If anything, the German songwriter-producer’s journey brings to mind a hiking trail that winds through a mountain range: There have been tough, uphill ascents, breathtaking overlooks, extended rest stops and the occasional detour.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 14 Feb. 2024
Verb
Part of what distinguishes the event is its community focus—specifically within the Midwest, a region often overlooked despite its vast influence and vibrant musical history.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 16 Apr. 2024
Here's how to read the results Springboro Community City School District, for example, overlooked more than 800 students in kindergarten through second grade who were all on track to meet state standards in early literacy last spring.
—The Enquirer, 16 Apr. 2024
Built in 1991, the home overlooks the golf course at The Fountaingrove Club in Santa Rosa, California.
—Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 16 Apr. 2024
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked lush hills, and a herd of life-size elk and deer models stood in the sun.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
The efforts that Brower and the faculty have been making to improve PLNU haven’t gone overlooked by Mary Walshok, the prominent sociologist who grew UC San Diego’s Extension program into a massive training ground for the local labor market.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
In pursuit of the deal, the administration overlooked Iran’s malign activity around the world — its sponsorship of terrorism and its destabilizing attacks through its proxies in the region.
—The Editors, National Review, 14 Apr. 2024
Unlike many competitors, the company also trains workers for network operations and field repair, with a focus on people and communities long overlooked during earlier periods of economic and technological change.
—Russ Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2024
White Grecian-style villas with private plunge pools overlook a rugged, mile-long stretch of private beach peppered with swaying palm trees.
—Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2024
Noun
Rezoning the area of the cross overlook at Mount Sequoyah from residential single-family up to 4 units an acre to a public institutional zone.
—Stacy Ryburn, arkansasonline.com, 9 Apr. 2024
Situated on a slightly elevated parcel, the home overlooks both the fairway and lagoon.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
The road dead-ends at the overlook, which has a very small parking lot, sometimes overseen by rangers and volunteers, who often have to help drivers turn around.
—Tom Bentley, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2024
The trail will pass the ecology center and include a river overlook and trailhead with a bathroom, bike racks and a parking lot.
—John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 10 Jan. 2024
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Rainbow Bridge would remain as a scenic overlook, BoiseDev reported.
—Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 31 Mar. 2024
Bieri says travelers can easily spend two days driving around to overlooks and other sites in New River Gorge.
—Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 2 Mar. 2024
The Bureau of Land Management, which controls it, describes the area as hilly with overlooks of the Sacramento River.
—Phil Helsel, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2024
If anything, the German songwriter-producer’s journey brings to mind a hiking trail that winds through a mountain range: There have been tough, uphill ascents, breathtaking overlooks, extended rest stops and the occasional detour.
—Joe Lynch, Billboard, 14 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overlook.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Overlook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overlook. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
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Nglish: Translation of overlook for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of overlook for Arabic Speakers
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