What does "override" mean?
A mechanism, device or procedure used to counteract an automatic control.
Override
/oʊ.vɚˈɹaɪd/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A mechanism, device or procedure used to counteract an automatic control.
- Grammar: override is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abolish, abrogate, annul, annuls.
- Useful contrasts: the governed, acquiesce, adherence.
- Usage evidence: Under the Constitution, the lower chamber's resolutions override those of the upper chamber.
How to use "override"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "override" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "override" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "override" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "override" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "override" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abolish" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "override", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A mechanism, device or procedure used to counteract an automatic control.
"The bill passed with 72 members voting for the override and 46 against."
- 2 the act of nullifying; making null and void; counteracting or overriding the effect or force of something wordnet
- 3 A royalty.
- 4 a manually operated device to correct the operation of an automatic device wordnet
- 5 A device for prioritizing audio signals, such that certain signals receive priority over others.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 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.
Verb
- 1 To ride across or beyond something. transitive
"Around 50 people were evacuated from a rush-hour London Overground service on October 12, after an eight-car train overrode the buffers at Enfield Town station."
- 2 rule against wordnet
- 3 To ride over the top of something, usually forcibly. transitive
"Separation of the caboose from the VAN train had caused the train to go into emergency braking and when Extra 3119 West struck the third rack car, the car overrode the locomotive, destroyed the remaining superstructure, and caused the locomotive to overturn the north rail. The near-instantaneous derailment of the rest of the train followed immediately."
- 4 ride (a horse) too hard wordnet
- 5 To ride a horse too hard. transitive
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 counteract the normal operation of (an automatic gear shift in a vehicle) wordnet
- 7 To counteract the normal operation of something; to countermand with orders of higher priority. intransitive, transitive
"In automotive design, safety should override lesser factors such as cosmetics and corner-cutting."
- 8 prevail over wordnet
- 9 To give commands of a higher priority to an automated system; to take manual control of an automated system transitive
"Manual controls allow the user to override the camera's default settings."
- 10 To define a new behaviour of a method by creating the same method of the superclass with the same name and signature. transitive
"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."
Example
"Under the Constitution, the lower chamber's resolutions override those of the upper chamber."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "override"?
Common synonyms include: abolish, abrogate, annul, annuls, arch, arch over.
How do you use "override" in a sentence?
Under the Constitution, the lower chamber's resolutions override those of the upper chamber.
How do you pronounce "override"?
Pronounced /oʊ.vɚˈɹaɪd/.
Etymology
From Middle English overriden, from Old English oferrīdan, equivalent to over- + ride. Cognate with Dutch overrijden, German überreiten, Danish override.