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to shadow

to shadow

7 5.3
To make someone or something seem less important by comparison
  • verb
  • /ˈʃædoʊ/
translation icon : eclipsar
  • The recent scandal overshadowed her achievements in the industry.

do not let your confidence over shadow your competence

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Examples

  • But through his brilliance, energy and immense popularity he will soon over shadow his two colleagues.

  • A victory tends to over shadow how the losses pile up.

  • And the only reason he did that is because otherwise the court case was going to over shadow the platinum die.

  • do not let your confidence over shadow your competence

  • I hate that my personal life has begun to over shadow the true issues in the case.

  • You know I know that this competition seems like everything but I don't want this audition to over shadow your studies.

  • His last performance overshadowed the earlier shows he had put on during the season.

  • Don't let your personal issues overshadow your professional goals.

Synonyms

to diminish
vsto shadow
89 4.7

Make a person or thing seem less important

focuses specifically on the lowering effect by comparison
to overshadow
vsto shadow
48 5.9

To make someone or something seem less important compared with another

is the same reducing effect caused by direct comparison
to belittle
vsto shadow
45 5.0

To make someone or something seem not important

involves making someone look smaller by comparison rather than direct criticism
to dwarf
vsto shadow
37 4.9

To make someone or something seem much smaller by comparison

is broader, applying to general loss of importance not only size
to eclipse
vsto shadow
31 6.0

To make someone or something seem less important by comparison

works similarly but covers any form of making someone seem smaller
to tower over
vsto shadow
14 4.8

Be much taller or more impressive so others seem small

expresses the same lessening but does not require physical size difference
to shame
vsto shadow
6 6.7

To do much better than someone so they seem less good

is similar but less about humiliation and more about simple comparison

Antonyms

128 3.9

To move something to a higher place or level

Idioms

Close to a larger person or thing so you feel less important

Completely certain with no doubt

Make a person, event, or situation seem less happy and less hopeful

To be less known or important because someone else is more famous

A person or thing that is much weaker and less impressive than before

Very easily frightened and nervous, often jumping at small noises

To think an appearance or small sign is the real thing

9.9

To mistake how something looks for how it really is

Compounds

shadow of doubt
  • Informal
2 3.8

A small feeling that something might not be true

1 7.4

A show that uses hand or puppet shadows on a screen to tell a story

shadow banking system
  • Specialized
1 7.7

Financial companies that lend, borrow, or manage money without normal bank rules

1 5.9

A shallow box with a clear front that shows and protects small items like jewelry

rain shadow
  • Specialized
1 6.7

An area with little rain that lies behind mountains

shadow cabinet
  • Literature
1 6.7

A group of senior opposition politicians who would become government ministers if their party won power

A performance that uses figures and light to make moving shadows on a screen

A shadow with no sharp edges because the light spreads

How Diminishing

to eclipse
31 6.0
to dwarf
37 4.9
to shadow
7 5.3
to diminish
89 4.7
to downplay
59 5.3

Surface Forms

shadow infinitive
shadowed past
shadowed past participle
shadowing present participle
shadows third person singular

Etymology

Shadow as a verb also means to make someone seem less important, like a big shadow covering a small light, which is why we use shadow to say one thing reduces another's importance.