overawe

verb

over·​awe ˌō-vər-ˈȯ How to pronounce overawe (audio)
overawed; overawing; overawes

transitive verb

: to restrain or subdue by awe

Examples of overawe in a Sentence

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.
He didn’t get ruffled by a noisy Rod Laver Arena crowd, or overawed by the occasion. John Pye, USA TODAY, 27 Jan. 2024 Possibly, his mere celebrity presence and oratory skills overawed his audiences. Albert Camus, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023 The scientific community, says Bennetto, was not overawed. Bennett Daviss, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 This iteration of the U.S. team is desperately searching for a collective identity—not to mention a midfield structure—and is led by a feckless coach who seems overawed by his position and afraid to assert himself in the hinge moments of matches. Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 1 Aug. 2023 See all Example Sentences for overawe 

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overawe was in 1579

Dictionary Entries Near overawe

Cite this Entry

“Overawe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overawe. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

overawe

verb
over·​awe ˌō-və-ˈrȯ How to pronounce overawe (audio)
: to make quiet or peaceful with fear, respect, or wonder

More from Merriam-Webster on overawe

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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