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overbearing

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verb

present participle of overbear

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective overbearing differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of overbearing are arrogant, disdainful, haughty, insolent, lordly, proud, and supercilious. While all these words mean "showing scorn for inferiors," overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence.

an overbearing supervisor

In what contexts can arrogant take the place of overbearing?

The meanings of arrogant and overbearing largely overlap; however, arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted.

a conceited and arrogant executive

When would disdainful be a good substitute for overbearing?

In some situations, the words disdainful and overbearing are roughly equivalent. However, disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness.

disdainful of their social inferiors

When can haughty be used instead of overbearing?

While the synonyms haughty and overbearing are close in meaning, haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position.

a haughty aristocrat

When could insolent be used to replace overbearing?

While in some cases nearly identical to overbearing, insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness.

ignored by an insolent waiter

When is lordly a more appropriate choice than overbearing?

Although the words lordly and overbearing have much in common, lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.

a lordly condescension

When is it sensible to use proud instead of overbearing?

The words proud and overbearing can be used in similar contexts, but proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness.

too proud to take charity

Where would supercilious be a reasonable alternative to overbearing?

The words supercilious and overbearing are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness.

an aloof and supercilious manner

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 overbearing
Adjective
Directed by Roach, Meet the Parents focuses on a nurse (Stiller) having trouble winning over his girlfriend’s overbearing father (De Niro). Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2025 This includes Isla having to do damage control when the team’s star acts up off the court, and dealing with an overbearing parent of a player. Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2025 Beginning a decade ago, efforts to isolate Mr. Lukashenko gave way for a time to engagement, amid signs that Belarus wanted to avoid becoming too dependent on Moscow, the country’s increasingly overbearing neighbor. Tomas Dapkus, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025 These earphones have superb clarity that is underscored with deliciously warm bass without booming or sounding overbearing. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for overbearing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overbearing
Adjective
  • From being drafted in the first round to somehow exceeding those expectations, Smith and Martin represented something much bigger than their dominant play on the field.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Once the dominant chipmaker in the U.S., Intel has faced numerous challenges in recent years, losing ground to players like Nvidia, AMD, Qualcomm and Apple.
    Ryan Browne, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • His parents were Italian immigrants who fled Benito Mussolini’s fascist regime, and his grandmother Rosa Margherita Vassallo di Bergoglio was active in Catholic Action, formed by Italian bishops who wanted to maintain their independence from Mussolini’s authoritarian rule.
    Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been called an authoritarian, and previous reports have noted restrictions to civil liberties.
    Graham Smith, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • As previously reported, this year’s main competition jury president will be Juliette Binoche, who will oversee the choosing of the Palme d’Or and other festival awards alongside a jury yet to be announced.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The first drop pays homage to Jackson, Wyo., where Season 2 begins, after the two main characters found temporary refuge there in Season 1.
    Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Carrie is described as a reimagining of the story of misfit high-schooler Carrie White, who has spent her life in seclusion with her domineering mother.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Perhaps most frustrating to Mainers: the domineering influence of Boston in the state’s government.
    Made by History, Time, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The two main red grapes here are Syrah and Grenache, with Syrah the predominant variety in the north and Grenache holding first place in the south, where it is also blended with other grapes including Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Cinsault.
    Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 18 Apr. 2025
  • For citizenship behavior, relationship quality was the predominant mediator.
    Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Ava Daniels is a young comedy writer who is unable to find work due to an insensitive tweet and her reputation for being self-centered and arrogant.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • And the villains, of course, exuding every nastily relatable emotion; the stepmothers and sorceresses are vain, arrogant, dismissive, lonely, rude, and outrageous.
    Darren Franich, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The unit uses tools that were once the preserve of the world’s top mastering houses and is inspired by the artistry of mastering engineers.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
  • From entry-level careers to the C-suite, mastering soft skills opens up leadership opportunities.
    Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • And what can today’s resistance movements facing tyrannical regimes learn from their success?
    John Blake, CNN Money, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Howard plays himself as a tyrannical auteur who petulantly refuses to cut a vacuous scene from his overlong thriller, warding off pleas only to change his mind at the moment of truth.
    Peter Bart, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Overbearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overbearing. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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