over
gb/ˈoʊvɚ/ us/ˈoʊvɚ/
A1
English
~ 200
Senses
0 senses
preposition
A1
relation
1
Above and across something
In a higher position than something and covering it.
Usage pattern:
[something] over [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'over' with 'on' — 'over' means above and possibly covering, while 'on' means directly touching the surface.
Synonyms
above (Similar in meaning but does not always imply covering.)
Antonyms
under (Indicates a lower position beneath something.)
Collocations
over the table
|over the road
|over the river
|over the bed
Themes
daily life
|spatial relations
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- A lamp hung over the dining table.
- She put a blanket over the sleeping child.
- The bridge stretches over the river.
- Clouds gathered over the mountains.
- He placed his hand over his heart.
Learner examples
- The picture is over the sofa.
- There is a light over the door.
- A plane flew over the city.
- The hat is over my head.
- The moon is over the hill.
preposition
A2
relation
2
More than a number or limit
More than a certain number or amount.
Usage pattern:
over [number/amount]
Synonyms
more than (Exact equivalent in most contexts.)
Antonyms
under (Indicates less than a number or limit.)
Collocations
over 100 people
|over an hour
|over budget
Themes
numbers
|measurement
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Over 200 guests attended the wedding.
- He earns over $50,000 a year.
- The project went over budget.
- It took over two hours to finish.
- Temperatures rose to over 40 degrees.
Learner examples
- Over 20 students are in the class.
- The trip took over one hour.
- She paid over ten dollars for it.
- There are over 50 books here.
- He is over 18 years old.
adverb
A2
relation
3
Across from above
Moving across from above something.
Usage pattern:
to go/fly/jump over [something]
Synonyms
across (Similar but may not imply height above.)
Antonyms
underneath (Indicates movement below something instead of above it.)
Collocations
jump over
|fly over
|run over (literal)
Themes
movement
|daily life
|space
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The cat jumped over the fence.
- A helicopter flew over during the parade.
- He climbed over the wall to get in.
- They walked over the bridge together.
- A ball rolled over the curb.
Learner examples
- The dog ran over the road.
- We walked over the bridge.
- He jumped over the chair.
- A bird flew over my head.
- They went over the hill.
adjective
A2
property
4
Finished or ended
Finished and not happening anymore.
Synonyms
finished (Direct equivalent in most contexts.)
Antonyms
ongoing (Still continuing.)
Collocations
the game is over
|school is over
|summer is over
Themes
time
|events
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The meeting is finally over.
- Summer is almost over now.
- The show was over before 9 p.m.
- Their relationship is definitely over.
- The war was over at last.
Learner examples
- The class is over.
- Dinner is over now.
- The movie is over.
- The game is over.
- My work is over.
preposition
B1
relation
5
During a time period
Happening during a certain time period.
Usage pattern:
over [time period]
Synonyms
during ('During' may sound slightly more formal or neutral.)
Collocations
over the weekend
|over the years
|over time
Themes
time
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We met several times over the summer.
- He improved a lot over the years.
- They talked about it over lunch.
- Sales increased steadily over time.
- I stayed at my friend's house over the weekend.
Learner examples
- I read three books over the holiday.
- He learned many words over two months.
- We met many times over the summer.
- She worked hard over the week.
- It rained a lot over winter.
Grammar
Dictionary form
over
IPA
GB/ˈoʊvɚ/
US/ˈoʊvɚ/
Syllables & stress
over (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (over)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: over
Word family
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
under
preposition A1
Expressions
come over
1/kˈʌm ˈoʊvɚ/
phrasal verb
Visit someone's place
To go to someone's home or place to see them.
Examples
- Why don’t you come over for dinner tonight?
- My friends came over to watch the game.
hand over
2/hˈænd ˈoʊvɚ/
phrasal verb
Give control or possession to someone else
To give someone else control of or responsibility for something, often because you have to.
Examples
- He handed over the keys to his apartment.
- Please hand over your passport at reception.
be over the moon
1/bˈi ˈoʊvɚ ðə mˈun/
idiom
informal
to be extremely happy about something
To feel very, very happy about something.
Examples
- She was over the moon when she got the job.
- They were over the moon about their new baby.
get over
1/ɡˈɛt ˈoʊvɚ/
phrasal verb
recover from illness or difficulty
To feel better after being sick, sad, or having problems.
Examples
- It took her months to get over the breakup.
- It took her months to get over the flu.
- He's finally getting over his cold.
- He still hasn’t got over losing his job.
take over
5/tˈeɪk ˈoʊvɚ/
phrasal verb
Gain control of something
To get control of something from another person or group.
Examples
- A new manager will take over next week.
- She will take over as manager next month.
- The company was taken over by a larger competitor.
- A larger company took over our business.