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Glite Dictionary
to walk over (someone)

to walk over (someone)

6.1
To treat someone badly by ignoring their needs and using them
  • phrasal verb
  • /wɔk ˈoʊvər ˈsʌmˌwʌn/
  • Informal
translation icon : pisotear
  • You can't just let her walk over you at work; you deserve respect.

Examples

  • He realized he was letting his friends walk over him and decided to be more assertive.

  • If you always agree to everything, people might start to walk over you.

  • If you are too lenient, they will walk over you and take advantage of your kindness.

  • She started to feel that her boss would walk over her if she didn't speak up.

  • When you let others walk over you, it can lead to frustration and resentment.

Synonyms

to step on
vsto walk over (someone)
  • Informal
23 6.7

To treat someone badly to gain power or get ahead

takes advantage without strongly asserting power
to walk all over someone
vsto walk over (someone)
  • Informal
3 7.2

Treat someone badly by using them and ignoring their feelings

is the shorter alternative form with identical meaning
to ride roughshod over
vsto walk over (someone)
1 8.5

Treat other people's feelings, rights, or opinions as not important and ignore them rudely

is less aggressive and may not discard opinions so completely

Antonyms

respect
532 2.8

A particular part or detail of something

How Respectful

to disregard
119 3.9
to walk over (someone)
  • Informal
6.1
to exploit
214 5.6
to abuse
  • NSFW
344 3.7

Surface Forms

walk over infinitive
walked over past
walked over past participle
walking over present participle
walks over third person singular

Morphology

walk + over + (someone)

The literal meanings of 'walk' and 'over' (to pass across or trample) provide a clear metaphorical basis for domineering or taking advantage of someone, so a learner can get a general sense from the parts. However, the specific social meaning 'treat someone with disrespect or take advantage of them' is a non-literal extension and not fully predictable from the constituents alone, so prior exposure helps.

Etymology

The phrasal verb walk over (someone) comes from a clear image of a person literally walking over someone else, stepping on or pushing them aside. If people walk over you, they treat you without respect and 'take advantage' of you.