overcome

UK: /ˌəʊvə^rˈkʌm/ US: /ˌoʊvɚˈkʌm/ ,(ō′vər kum′)

Inflections of 'overcome' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

overcomes

v 3rd person singular

overcoming

v pres p

overcame

v past

overcome

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

o•ver•come /ˌoʊvɚˈkʌm/   v., -came, -come, -com•ing. 

1. to defeat or gain an advantage over (someone or something) in a struggle or conflict;
   gain the victory over (someone or something);
   conquer: [~ + object]
   We overcame the enemy on the last attack.
   [no object]
   vowed to overcome.
2. to succeed in controlling:
   [~ + object] to overcome the temptation to smoke.
3. to overpower or overwhelm in body or mind:
   [~ + object] The firefighters were overcome by smoke.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

o•ver•come  (ō′vər kum′), v., -came, -come, -com•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to get the better of in a struggle or conflict;
   conquer;
   defeat:
   to overcome the enemy.
2. to prevail over (opposition, a debility, temptations, etc.);
   surmount:
   to overcome one's weaknesses.
3. to overpower or overwhelm in body or mind, as does liquor, a drug, exertion, or emotion:
   I was overcome with grief.
4. [Archaic.] to overspread or overrun.

v.i. 
5. to gain the victory;
   win;
   conquer:
   a plan to overcome by any means possible.
• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English ofercuman. See over-, come
o′ver•com′er, n. 
Synonyms
• 1. vanquish. See defeat. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

overcome / ˌəʊvəˈkʌm/ verb ( -comes, -coming, -came, -come)

1. (transitive) to get the better of in a conflict
2. (tr; often passive) to render incapable or powerless by laughter, sorrow, exhaustion, etc
3. (transitive) to surmount (obstacles, objections, etc)
4. (intransitive) to be victorious