overpass

1 of 2

verb

over·​pass ˌō-vər-ˈpas How to pronounce overpass (audio)
overpassed; overpassing; overpasses
Synonyms of overpassnext

transitive verb

1
: to pass across, over, or beyond : cross
also : surpass
2
: transgress
3
: disregard, ignore

overpass

2 of 2

noun

over·​pass ˈō-vər-ˌpas How to pronounce overpass (audio)
: a crossing of two highways or of a highway and pedestrian path or railroad at different levels where clearance to traffic on the lower level is obtained by elevating the higher level
also : the upper level of such a crossing

Synonyms of overpass

Relevance

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of overpass in a Sentence

Verb to keep peace in the family, he was forced to overpass his in-laws' frequent put-downs a filmmaker whose technical bravura overpasses his ability to tell a coherent story Noun Boys stood beneath the highway overpass. Traffic was stalled on the overpass.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Prior court decisions and guidance from the Department of Justice have set up hurdles to overcome before the court is forced to overpass a reporter’s privilege to protect sources. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
Organizers suggest that attendees who drive to the event park underneath the Highway 50 overpass at Eighth Street and W Street, where there will be a free shuttle available to take guests straight to the church. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Anyone who wants to view the procession and pay tribute to Matthews can stand on overpasses or next to the road at a safe distance, according to Polis' office. — Jesse Sarles, CBS News, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for overpass

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overpass was in the 14th century

Rhymes for overpass

See All Rhymes for overpass

Browse Nearby Words

overparticular
overpass
overpast
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overpass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overpass. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

overpass

1 of 2 verb
over·​pass ˌō-vər-ˈpas How to pronounce overpass (audio)
1
: to pass across, over, or beyond
2
: surpass
3
: disregard entry 1, ignore

overpass

2 of 2 noun
over·​pass ˈō-vər-ˌpas How to pronounce overpass (audio)
1
: a crossing (as of two highways or of a highway and railroad) at different levels usually by means of a bridge
2
: the upper level of an overpass

More from Merriam-Webster on overpass

Nglish: Translation of overpass for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about overpass

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All