Overcome
v.resilient, hopefulregister not recorded
What it means
To succeed in moving through or gaining control over a serious difficulty.
Reach for it when describing real progress past an obstacle, fear, or disadvantage
Patient practice helped Leo overcome his fear of deep water.
Choose between these
7- playful
decisive victory suits energetic encouragement
not when Conquer can imply permanent defeat of an ongoing struggle.
- everyday
defeat
a clear opponent has lost
not when Defeat frames experience as combat.
- warm
get through
endurance deserves humane language
not when Getting through may mean surviving, not resolving.
- professional
skill brings something under control
not when Master suggests lasting command.
- professional
a problem reaches a workable conclusion
not when Resolve does not fit every fear or physical barrier.
- formal
surmount
effort gets beyond a substantial obstacle
not when Surmount fits barriers better than emotions.
- literary
rise above
character remains generous despite hurt
not when Rise above can judge people still struggling.
Said against
3- succumb
- yield
- be defeated
It naturally appears in
3- overcome a challenge
The cooperative found a shared route to overcome a challenge.
- overcome fear
Short supported swims helped Dana overcome fear without force.
- overcome barriers
Captioning can overcome barriers that a louder speaker cannot.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English verb sense: prevail over a difficulty opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.