overgrow
verb
over·grow ˌō-vər-ˈgrō 
overgrew ˌō-vər-ˈgrü ; overgrown ˌō-vər-ˈgrōn ; overgrowing
; overgrown ˌō-vər-ˈgrōn ; overgrowing transitive verb
1
: to grow over so as to cover with herbage
2
: to grow beyond or rise above : outgrow
intransitive verb
1
: to grow excessively
2
: to become grown over
overgrowth
ˈō-vər-ˌgrōth
noun 
Example Sentences
The weeds have overgrown the garden.
Recent Examples on the Web Clostridium difficile, known as C. diff, is a stubborn bacteria that may normally live in the colon, but can overgrow the healthy bacteria to cause symptoms of watery diarrhea, often with fever and cramping. 
Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 18 Aug. 2022 Plants that won't overgrow the container, such as boxwood, croton, Joseph's coat, pineapple verbena and twiggy spikemoss for sun-loving plants, and gnome ivy, golden club moss, Irish or Scottish club moss and miniature ferns for shade-loving plants. Jennifer Nalewicki, Popular Mechanics, 16 Nov. 2020 The team will have to flush the seawater regularly and keep it at the right temperature, or bacteria and algae will start to overgrow the Trichoplax and kill them, Prakash says. Emily Underwood, The Atlantic, 8 June 2020 At George Wright, terrible irrigation ruined several holes, and trees overgrew much of the property. Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 3 July 2018 Barnacles and other sea life has overgrown the metal. Sarah Gibbens, National Geographic, 20 Mar. 2018 This corner was previously overgrown and generally uninviting. OregonLive.com, 19 July 2017 First, to be clear: Candida can overgrow in the body and cause problems. Melinda Wenner Moyer, SELF, 10 July 2017 Industry needed photographs for promotion, but post-Civil War industrialization so clearly made America an important power that people treasured stereographs of fields overgrown by technical apparatus. Vicki Goldberg, New York Times, 6 July 2017 See More
Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 18 Aug. 2022 Plants that won't overgrow the container, such as boxwood, croton, Joseph's coat, pineapple verbena and twiggy spikemoss for sun-loving plants, and gnome ivy, golden club moss, Irish or Scottish club moss and miniature ferns for shade-loving plants. Jennifer Nalewicki, Popular Mechanics, 16 Nov. 2020 The team will have to flush the seawater regularly and keep it at the right temperature, or bacteria and algae will start to overgrow the Trichoplax and kill them, Prakash says. Emily Underwood, The Atlantic, 8 June 2020 At George Wright, terrible irrigation ruined several holes, and trees overgrew much of the property. Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 3 July 2018 Barnacles and other sea life has overgrown the metal. Sarah Gibbens, National Geographic, 20 Mar. 2018 This corner was previously overgrown and generally uninviting. OregonLive.com, 19 July 2017 First, to be clear: Candida can overgrow in the body and cause problems. Melinda Wenner Moyer, SELF, 10 July 2017 Industry needed photographs for promotion, but post-Civil War industrialization so clearly made America an important power that people treasured stereographs of fields overgrown by technical apparatus. Vicki Goldberg, New York Times, 6 July 2017 See More Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Medical Definition
overgrow
intransitive verb
over·grow ˌō-vər-ˈgrō
overgrew -ˈgrü ; overgrown -ˈgrōn ; overgrowing
; overgrown -ˈgrōn ; overgrowing : to grow or increase beyond the normal or natural size or numbers
when a scar overgrows into a keloid Morris Fishbein
Morris Fishbeinovergrowing
verb
as in proliferating
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- proliferating
- sprouting
- flourishing
- thriving
- luxuriating
- shooting up
- prospering
- burgeoning
- bourgeoning
- flowering
- blooming
- rooting
- germinating
- fruiting
- propagating
- seeding
- regenerating
- producing
- on the spot
- on the spur of the moment
- on the square
- on the staff
- on the stage
- on the stand
- on the straight and narrow
- on the street
- on the strength of
- on the string
- on the stump
- on the sunny side of
- on the supposition that
- on the surface
- on the table
- on the take
- on the tapis
- on the telephone
- on the television
- on the telly
- on the threshold
- on the tiles
- on the tip of one's tongue
- on the town
- on the trot