Standard Lemma guide

override

noun · verb · 16 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈəʊ.vəˌɹaɪd/
  • US: /ˈoʊ.vɚˌɹaɪd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • UK: /əʊ.vəˈɹaɪd/
  • US: /oʊ.vɚˈɹaɪd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: OW1 V ER0 R AY2 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A mechanism, device or procedure used to counteract an automatic control.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A royalty.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A device for prioritizing audio signals, such that certain signals receive priority over others.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A method with the same name and signature as a method in a superclass, which runs instead of that method, when an object of the subclass is involved.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: object-oriented programming

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To ride across or beyond something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To ride over the top of something, usually forcibly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To ride a horse too hard.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To counteract the normal operation of something; to countermand with orders of higher priority.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, transitive

Examples

  • In automotive design, safety should override lesser factors such as cosmetics and corner-cutting.
  • Congress promptly overrode the president's veto, passing the bill into law.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To give commands of a higher priority to an automated system; to take manual control of an automated system

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Manual controls allow the user to override the camera's default settings.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To define a new behaviour of a method by creating the same method of the superclass with the same name and signature.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Qualifier: object-oriented programming

Examples

  • How the cat runs is defined in the method run() of the class Cat, which overrides the same method with the same signature of superclass called Mammal.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

the act of nullifying; making null and void; counteracting or overriding the effect or force of something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: nullification

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change of state

Narrower terms: cancellation, vitiation, neutralization, neutralisation, counteraction

12

noun

Meaning 12

a manually operated device to correct the operation of an automatic device

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: device

13

verb

Meaning 13

rule against

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The Republicans were overruled when the House voted on the bill

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: overrule, overturn, overthrow, reverse

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rule, decree

14

verb

Meaning 14

ride (a horse) too hard

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: ride, sit

15

verb

Meaning 15

counteract the normal operation of (an automatic gear shift in a vehicle)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: counteract, countervail, neutralize, counterbalance

16

verb

Meaning 16

prevail over

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • health considerations override financial concerns

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: predominate, dominate, rule, reign, prevail

History

Etymology

From Middle English overriden, from Old English oferrīdan, equivalent to over- + ride. Cognate with Dutch overrijden, German überreiten, Danish override.

Across languages

Translations

49 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Japanese: オーバーライド (ōbāraido) — a mechanism, device or procedure used to counteract an automatic control
  • Tamil: ரத்து செய்தல் (rattu ceytal) — a mechanism, device or procedure used to counteract an automatic control
  • Finnish: rojalti — a royalty
  • Japanese: 優先 (yūsen) — a royalty
  • Japanese: 優待 (yūtai) — a royalty
  • Finnish: ratsastaa poikki — to ride across or beyond something
  • Finnish: ratsastaa yli — to ride across or beyond something
  • French: outrepasser — to ride across or beyond something
  • Italian: oltrepassare — to ride across or beyond something
  • Bulgarian: пресилвам (presilvam) — to ride a horse too hard
  • Dutch: afjakkeren — to ride a horse too hard
  • Finnish: ratsastaa liian kovaa — to ride a horse too hard
  • Finnish: ratsastaa väsyksiin — to ride a horse too hard
  • Japanese: 酷使する (kokushi suru) — to ride a horse too hard
  • Bulgarian: отменям (otmenjam) — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Catalan: revocar — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Finnish: kumota — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • French: outrepasser — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Georgian: დაძლევა (daʒleva) — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Georgian: დაძლევს (daʒlevs) — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • German: übersteuern — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Hungarian: felülbírálni — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Italian: forzare — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Italian: bypassare — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Japanese: 覆す (kutsugaesu) — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Norwegian: motvirke — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Norwegian: overstyre — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Persian: روسواردن — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Portuguese: sobrepor — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Portuguese: contornar — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Portuguese: anular — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Spanish: hacer caso omiso de — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Spanish: anteponerse a — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Swedish: åsidosätta — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Turkish: zorlamak — to counteract the normal operation of something
  • Catalan: sobreescriure — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
  • Chinese Mandarin: 重写 (chóngxiě) — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
  • Finnish: syrjäyttää — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
  • French: redéfinir — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
  • Georgian: გადაფარვა (gadaparva) — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
  • German: überschreiben — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
  • Greek: επικαλύπτω (epikalýpto) — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
  • Greek: υποσκελίζω (yposkelízo) — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
  • Italian: ridefinire — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
  • Persian: روسواردن — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
  • Polish: nadpisać — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
  • Portuguese: sobrepor — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
  • Russian: переопределить (pereopredelitʹ) — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
  • Vietnamese: ghi đè — (software) To define a new behaviour of a method
Real reading context

override in complete knowledge articles