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adj A1 Beginner Very common

over

OH-vuh

Over (adj) means Finished; ended. Example: “The meeting is over, so we can go home.”

adj
1
Finished; ended.
"The meeting is over, so we can go home."
"By midnight the storm was over."
adv
1
From one place or position to another, especially across a distance.
"She walked over to greet the new neighbors."
2
Thoroughly or completely, from beginning to end.
"He read the contract over before signing it."
3
To an excessive degree; too much.
"Don't worry over it so much."
prep
1
Above, or higher than.
"A lamp hung over the kitchen table."
2
More than a stated amount.
"The bill came to just over fifty dollars."
noun
1
In cricket, a set of six balls bowled by one player.
"He took two wickets in the final over."

How to use over

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA small, flexible word covering "above," "across," "finished," and "too much," depending on context.

Common pairings
over there game over over the top think it over

Word forms

overed past tense, overs plural, overs plural, overs singular

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Test yourself on “over” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The meeting is _____, so we can go home.

Etymology

From Old English ofer, tracing back to a very old Indo-European root meaning "above" — related to Latin super and Greek hyper.

Origin: Latin

Related words

Rhymes for over

See all rhymes for over →

Frequently asked questions

What does “over” mean?

The word “over” means finished; ended. In plain terms, a small, flexible word covering "above," "across," "finished," and "too much," depending on context.

How do you pronounce “over”?

“Over” is pronounced OH-vuh (/ˈoʊ̯.vɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “over” in a sentence?

Here is “over” used in a sentence: “The meeting is over, so we can go home.”

What part of speech is “over”?

Depending on how it is used, “over” can be an adjective, an adverb, a preposition and a noun.

Where does the word “over” come from?

The word “over” comes from Latin. From Old English ofer, tracing back to a very old Indo-European root meaning "above" — related to Latin super and Greek hyper.

Is “over” a common word?

“Over” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

How many meanings does “over” have?

“Over” has 7 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: finished; ended.

What is the difference between over and above?

Both mean higher than something, but "over" often implies movement or covering ("the plane flew over the city," "a blanket over the bed"), while "above" suggests a fixed higher position ("the shelf above the desk"). With numbers both occur, though "over" is more common in everyday English ("over fifty guests").

Is it correct to say "over 100 people" instead of "more than 100 people"?

Yes. "Over" with quantities ("over 100 people") is long established and accepted by major dictionaries and usage guides, although some editors traditionally preferred "more than" with numbers. Both are correct; choose whichever reads more naturally.

What is the difference between "over" and "finished"?

As an adjective, "over" means finished or ended, and it normally comes after the verb "be": "the meeting is over," "the game was over." Unlike "finished," it cannot go before a noun — you can say "a finished project" but not "an over project."

What is the difference between over and across?

Both describe movement from one side to another, and in many cases they are interchangeable ("walk over/across the bridge"). "Over" is preferred when height or an obstacle is involved ("climb over the wall"), while "across" emphasises movement along a flat surface or expanse ("swim across the lake").

Example sentences

Real-world examples showing over in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.

A'Zariah Miles, who plans to major in biology, chose Howard over other schools that accepted her.
From CNN · Jul 25, 2026

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