Overlook — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˌō-vər-ˈlu̇k/ (verb) /ˈō-vər-ˌlu̇k/ (noun) over·look

Meaning & Definition of Overlook

Overlook (verb)

  1. to look over, inspect
  2. to look down upon from above
  3. to rise above or afford a view of

Overlook (noun)

  1. a place from which one may look down on a scene below

Overlook (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to look down on

    "the fortress overlooks the city"

    similar: command, dominate
    related: face, front

  2. to fail to give proper attention to

    "you've overlooked your chores again this week"

    similar: bypass, disregard, forget, ignore, neglect, overpass, pass over, slight, slur (over)
    related: fail, miss, omit, brush (aside or off), reject, shrug off, slough (off), disdain, pooh-pooh, scorn, scant, skimp
    opposite: attend (to), heed, mind, regard, tend (to)
    near: appreciate, cherish, prize, treasure, value, cultivate, foster, nurse, nurture, pamper, remember, listen (to), watch, follow, mark, note, notice, observe, remark

  3. to be in charge of

    "you'll be asked to overlook larger projects in the future"

    similar: boss, captain, handle, head, oversee, quarterback, superintend, supervise, call the shots (of), call the tune (for), ride herd on, watch over
    related: administer, command, control, direct, guide, manage, order, run, shepherd, show, steer, monitor, preside (over), govern, reign, rule

  4. to cast a spell on

    "the superstitious grandmother actually believed that the baby had been overlooked by a gypsy woman"

    similar: bewitch, charm, enchant, ensorcell, hex, spell, strike
    related: curse, jinx, possess, voodoo, attract, beguile, captivate, fascinate, mesmerize, spellbind, entice, lure, seduce, tempt
    near: bless

  5. to look over closely (as for judging quality or condition)

    "quickly overlooked the table of used books to see if there was anything of value"

    similar: audit, check (out), con, examine, inspect, oversee, review, scan, scrutinize, survey, view, go over
    related: notice, observe, watch, comb, peruse, pore (over), analyze, dissect, parse, delve (into), explore, investigate, plumb, probe, research, study, categorize, classify, pick over, reinspect, rereview, resurvey
    near: skim, glance (at or over), miss

  6. to dismiss as of little importance

    "definitely not the kind of spouse to overlook even a single instance of marital infidelity"

    similar: blink (at), brush (aside or off), condone, discount, disregard, excuse, forgive, gloss (over), gloze (over), ignore, overpass, paper over, pardon, pass over, remit, shrug off, whitewash, wink (at), close one's eyes to, forgive and forget
    related: explain, justify, rationalize, absolve, acquit, clear, exculpate, exonerate, vindicate, waive, wave (aside or off)
    near: heed, mark, mind, note, object (to)

  7. to look after and make decisions about

    "the engineer hired to overlook the construction of the canal"

    similar: administer, administrate, carry on, conduct, control, direct, govern, guide, handle, keep, manage, operate, oversee, preside (over), regulate, run, steward, superintend, supervise, tend, watch over
    related: care (for), mind, watch, lead, pilot, steer, guard, protect, safeguard, micromanage, stage-manage, codirect, comanage

Overlook (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a high place or structure from which a wide view is possible

    "just down the road there's a great overlook where you can get a panoramic view of the valley below"

    similar: lookout, observatory, outlook
    related: aerie, crow's nest, tower, watchtower, promontory

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Overlook

The most common words with a similar meaning to Overlook:

command, dominate, bypass, disregard, forget, ignore, neglect, overpass, pass over, slight, slur (over), boss, captain, handle, head, oversee, quarterback, superintend, supervise, bewitch, charm, enchant, ensorcell, hex, spell, strike, audit, check (out), con, examine, inspect, review, scan, scrutinize, survey, view, blink (at), brush (aside or off), condone, discount

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Overlook

Words with the opposite meaning of Overlook:

attend (to), heed, mind, regard, tend (to)

Related Words for Overlook

face, front, fail, miss, omit, reject, slough (off), disdain, pooh-pooh, scorn, scant, skimp, order, shepherd, show, steer, monitor, reign, rule, curse, jinx, possess, voodoo, attract, beguile, captivate, fascinate, mesmerize, spellbind, entice

Near Antonyms of Overlook

appreciate, cherish, prize, treasure, value, cultivate, foster, nurse, nurture, pamper, remember, listen (to), watch, follow, mark, note, notice, observe, remark, bless, skim, glance (at or over), miss, object (to)

Word Forms of Overlook

Inflections: overlooked, overlooking, overlooks

Origin & Etymology of Overlook

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Overlook

Frequently Asked Questions about Overlook

What does "Overlook" mean?

"Overlook" means to look over, inspect. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to look over, inspect. It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Overlook"?

Other words for "Overlook" include command, dominate, bypass, disregard, forget, ignore, neglect and overpass. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Overlook" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Overlook"?

There are 158 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Overlook". Common alternatives include command, dominate, bypass, disregard, forget, ignore, neglect, overpass, pass over and slight.

What is the opposite of "Overlook"?

Antonyms of "Overlook" include attend (to), heed, mind, regard and tend (to). Near antonyms include appreciate, cherish, prize and treasure.

How do you use "Overlook" in a sentence?

Examples of "Overlook" in a sentence: "the fortress overlooks the city"; "you've overlooked your chores again this week"; "you'll be asked to overlook larger projects in the future".

Is "Overlook" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Overlook" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Overlook" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Overlook" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Overlook"?

"Overlook" is pronounced /ˌō-vər-ˈlu̇k/ as a verb and /ˈō-vər-ˌlu̇k/ as a noun and divided into syllables as over·look.