over·cast
overcast; overcasting
2
ˈō-vər-ˌkast 
: to sew (raw edges of a seam) with long slanting widely spaced stitches to prevent raveling
: to sew (raw edges of a seam) with long slanting widely spaced stitches to prevent raveling
over·cast
ˈō-vər-ˌkast
ˌō-vər-ˈkast
ˌō-vər-ˈkast
: clouded over
an overcast day
over·cast
ˈō-vər-ˌkast
: covering
especially
: a covering of clouds over the sky
Synonyms
Examples of overcast in a Sentence
Verb
an impenetrable fog overcast our view of the harbor
Adjective
It was an overcast morning.
They worked in overcast conditions.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2023
Sky conditions oscillate between partly cloudy to perhaps overcast at times.
—Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2021
Confidence: Medium Sunday: Mostly cloudy to overcast at times.
—Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2020
John Bacon, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
However, cities in southeastern Wisconsin are closer to the path of totality than those in the west and will perhaps see more noticeable overcast skies during the partial eclipse's peak.
—Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024
At the time of the meeting, the forecast showed a 50% chance of clear skies or overcast and the likelihood of overcast skies was higher in Texas and Oklahoma.
—Sadie Lacicero, arkansasonline.com, 7 Apr. 2024
Plattsburgh is often overcast this time of year, sometimes for hours, sometimes for days.
—Michael Wilson, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Skies are overcast and there is a hailstorm on the way.
—Andrew Carey, Olga Voitovych, and Svitlana Vlasova, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024
In front of him, tens of thousands of worshipers filled the Vatican’s main square under a mostly overcast sky.
—Phoebe Natanson, ABC News, 31 Mar. 2024
After a rainy, overcast start to Saturday, cloudy conditions will continue into the evening, with temperatures dropping into the upper 30s.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 30 Mar. 2024
Because the 2024 eclipse is happening in the spring, the probability of overcast skies is greater.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 27 Mar. 2024
Martin Weil, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2024
Searches for breaks in the overcast seemed to find few rewards.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2024
After hours of rain and clouds on Friday in the District, light stole at day’s end through and beneath the overcast to convert the clouds themselves into a sunset tapestry of pink, red and luminous orange.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2024
The overcast seemed a major ingredient of the day’s essential meteorological uniformity for people all over the city and region.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 27 Dec. 2023
At many moments, of course, colors held their peace, or at least seemed subdued, under the overcast, amid the rain showers.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2023
Clouds and overcast ruled our skies Saturday, but for a few moments, at least a thin spot overhead allowed a fuzzy view of the moon, which reached maximum fullness Friday.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2023
On the second full day of astronomical autumn, with October only six days ahead, Monday’s implacably gray overcast seemed to harbor secret signs of what the year’s last quarter might bring.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2023
The rain and overcast are likely to keep temperatures from rising much, with highs in the upper 50s to low 60s.
—David Streit, Washington Post, 27 Apr. 2023
Verb
The past year has seen an existential mood overcast the rap world as its commercial dominance appears to be on its last leg.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2023
Sky conditions oscillate between partly cloudy to perhaps overcast at times.
—Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2021
Confidence: Medium Sunday: Mostly cloudy to overcast at times.
—Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2020
Adjective
San Antonio and Austin reported overcast skies, while Dallas-Fort Worth had mostly cloudy skies, according to the National Weather Service.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
However, cities in southeastern Wisconsin are closer to the path of totality than those in the west and will perhaps see more noticeable overcast skies during the partial eclipse's peak.
—Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024
At the time of the meeting, the forecast showed a 50% chance of clear skies or overcast and the likelihood of overcast skies was higher in Texas and Oklahoma.
—Sadie Lacicero, arkansasonline.com, 7 Apr. 2024
Plattsburgh is often overcast this time of year, sometimes for hours, sometimes for days.
—Michael Wilson, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Skies are overcast and there is a hailstorm on the way.
—Andrew Carey, Olga Voitovych, and Svitlana Vlasova, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024
In front of him, tens of thousands of worshipers filled the Vatican’s main square under a mostly overcast sky.
—Phoebe Natanson, ABC News, 31 Mar. 2024
After a rainy, overcast start to Saturday, cloudy conditions will continue into the evening, with temperatures dropping into the upper 30s.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 30 Mar. 2024
Because the 2024 eclipse is happening in the spring, the probability of overcast skies is greater.
—Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 27 Mar. 2024
Noun
This all occurred on a spring day in which the blue sky of morning gave way increasingly to the dim gray overcast of afternoon.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2024
Searches for breaks in the overcast seemed to find few rewards.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2024
After hours of rain and clouds on Friday in the District, light stole at day’s end through and beneath the overcast to convert the clouds themselves into a sunset tapestry of pink, red and luminous orange.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2024
The overcast seemed a major ingredient of the day’s essential meteorological uniformity for people all over the city and region.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 27 Dec. 2023
At many moments, of course, colors held their peace, or at least seemed subdued, under the overcast, amid the rain showers.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2023
Clouds and overcast ruled our skies Saturday, but for a few moments, at least a thin spot overhead allowed a fuzzy view of the moon, which reached maximum fullness Friday.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2023
On the second full day of astronomical autumn, with October only six days ahead, Monday’s implacably gray overcast seemed to harbor secret signs of what the year’s last quarter might bring.
—Martin Weil, Washington Post, 26 Sep. 2023
The rain and overcast are likely to keep temperatures from rising much, with highs in the upper 50s to low 60s.
—David Streit, Washington Post, 27 Apr. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overcast.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near overcast
Cite this Entry
“Overcast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overcast. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overcast
1 of 3 verb
over·cast
overcast; overcasting
1
ˌō-vər-ˈkast,
ˈō-vər-ˌkast
: darken sense 1, overshadow
2
ˈō-vər-ˌkast
: to sew with stitches that prevent the material at the edge of a seam from coming apart
overcast
2 of 3 adjective
over·cast
ˌō-vər-ˈkast
ˌō-vər-ˈkast
: clouded over : gloomy
an overcast night
overcast
3 of 3 noun
over·cast
ˈō-vər-ˌkast
: covering
especially
: a covering of clouds over the sky
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