overgrow
verb
over·grow
ˌō-vər-ˈgrō 
overgrew
ˌō-vər-ˈgrü
; overgrown
ˌō-vər-ˈgrōn
; overgrowing
; overgrown
ˌō-vər-ˈgrōn
; overgrowing
1
: to grow over so as to cover with herbage
2
: to grow beyond or rise above : outgrow
Examples of overgrow in a Sentence
The weeds have overgrown the garden.
Recent Examples on the Web
Its iron gates remained open and unguarded, the courtyard overgrown and prowled by dogs.
—
Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 13 July 2025
The floodplain is currently overgrown with invasive shrub and vine species, which limits its wildlife and pollinator value and its ability to provide key ecosystem services, including erosion control and water filtration.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
Even when one homeowner prepares for a wildfire, their house may still be vulnerable if a neighbor's property is overgrown and starts to burn, because the powerful radiant heat can ignite nearby structures.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 11 June 2025
A couple of years ago, the tree collapsed, on account of disease, and now, amid birdsong and leaf-whisper, the concentric circles of stones, shifted by roots and overgrown with moss, have become a memorial to the organism that once supported them.
—Shauna Lyon, New Yorker, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for overgrow
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Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 13 July 2025
The floodplain is currently overgrown with invasive shrub and vine species, which limits its wildlife and pollinator value and its ability to provide key ecosystem services, including erosion control and water filtration.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2025
Even when one homeowner prepares for a wildfire, their house may still be vulnerable if a neighbor's property is overgrown and starts to burn, because the powerful radiant heat can ignite nearby structures.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 11 June 2025
A couple of years ago, the tree collapsed, on account of disease, and now, amid birdsong and leaf-whisper, the concentric circles of stones, shifted by roots and overgrown with moss, have become a memorial to the organism that once supported them.
—Shauna Lyon, New Yorker, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for overgrow
Cite this Entry
“Overgrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overgrow. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overgrow
verb
over·grow
ˌō-vər-ˈgrō
1
: to grow over so as to cover
2
: outgrow
3
: to grow too big
an overgrown puppy
4
: to become grown over
Medical Definition
overgrow
intransitive verb
over·grow
ˌō-vər-ˈgrō
: to grow or increase beyond the normal or natural size or numbers
when a scar overgrows into a keloid—Morris Fishbein
Morris FishbeinLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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