overlook
gb/ˈoʊvɚlˌʊk/ us/ˈoʊvɚlˌʊk/
B2
Kiingereza
~ 9100
Maana
maana 0
Kitenzi
B2
action
1
fail to notice or consider
To miss seeing or thinking about something, usually by accident.
Muundo wa matumizi:
to overlook [something]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners often confuse this meaning with the 'forgive/ignore' meaning. In this sense, 'overlook' usually means you did not see or think about something, often by accident. If you see the problem but decide not to act on it, that is the other sense (to overlook = to ignore or forgive). Also, learners sometimes say *'overlook at something'*; the verb here is transitive and does not take 'at': say 'overlook a problem', not 'overlook at a problem'.
Visawe
miss (General and very common word for not noticing something; less formal and slightly broader in use.)
|
neglect (Suggests not giving enough attention or care; often stronger or more critical than 'overlook'.)
Vinyume
notice (Direct opposite: to become aware of something by seeing or hearing it.)
|
consider (Opposite in the sense of actively thinking about something rather than failing to think about it.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
overlook a detail
|overlook an error
|easily overlooked
|cannot be overlooked
|tend to overlook
Mada
thinking
|work
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- The editor overlooked several spelling mistakes in the final version.
- We cannot overlook the impact that social media has on young people.
- In their rush to grow, the company overlooked basic safety rules.
- The study completely overlooked the role of climate change.
- I think you’re overlooking an important detail in your argument.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- I overlooked one small mistake in my report.
- He overlooked my email and did not answer.
- The plan is good, but it overlooks the cost.
- They overlooked the risk of heavy rain.
- She overlooked a key point in the meeting.
Kitenzi
B2
relation
2
have a view over something
If a room, window, or building overlooks something, you can see that thing from it, usually from higher up.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[a place] overlooks [something]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes think this meaning is related to 'to miss or ignore'. Here, 'overlook' is about physical position and view, not about attention. It is often used in descriptions of houses, hotels, and cities. Do not say *'overlook to the sea'*; say 'overlook the sea'.
Visawe
face (Focuses on the direction a building points toward; does not always imply a higher position the way 'overlook' often does.)
|
look out over (A phrasal alternative that also suggests viewing something from above or at a distance.)
Vinyume
face away from (Describes a building or window that is oriented in the opposite direction, so the view does not include the thing mentioned.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
room overlooking the sea
|balcony overlooking the garden
|apartment overlooking the park
|terrace overlooking the city
|hotel overlooking the beach
Mada
travel
|home
|geography
|space
|housing
Mifano
- Our bedroom overlooks a quiet courtyard.
- The restaurant terrace overlooks the river and the old bridge.
- Their office overlooks the main square in the city center.
- We booked a room that overlooks the ocean.
- From the hill that overlooks the town, you can see for miles.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- My hotel room overlooks the lake.
- The kitchen window overlooks a busy street.
- Their house overlooks a small park.
- We ate dinner on a balcony that overlooks the river.
- The castle overlooks the whole valley.
Kitenzi
C1
action
3
ignore or forgive a fault
To see a problem or mistake but decide not to care about it or not to punish it.
Muundo wa matumizi:
to overlook [a fault / a mistake / behavior]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners often confuse this meaning with the 'fail to notice' sense. In this sense, the person DOES see the mistake but chooses not to react. Context like 'decided to overlook', 'willing to overlook', or 'cannot overlook this behavior' usually shows this intentional meaning.
Visawe
forgive (Emphasizes emotional letting go of hurt; 'overlook' can be cooler and more practical.)
|
excuse (Suggests accepting a reason for the fault; 'overlook' may simply mean not reacting.)
Vinyume
punish (Direct opposite in contexts where someone chooses not to punish a fault.)
|
hold against (Opposite of letting a fault go; you remember it and allow it to affect your opinion or actions.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
overlook a minor mistake
|overlook his past
|willing to overlook
|overlook small faults
|cannot overlook this behavior
Mada
emotions
|work
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- The manager decided to overlook his lateness because he is usually very reliable.
- She was willing to overlook his past mistakes and give him another chance.
- We cannot overlook this kind of behavior in the classroom.
- The club sometimes overlooks minor rule violations to keep the atmosphere relaxed.
- He tends to overlook his friends’ flaws because he values their loyalty.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- My boss overlooked my mistake this time.
- Parents often overlook small problems with their children.
- The teacher did not overlook cheating on the test.
- She overlooked his rude comment and changed the topic.
- I cannot overlook this serious problem.
Kitenzi
formal
C1
action
4
supervise or manage work
To be the person who checks and controls the work of other people.
Muundo wa matumizi:
to overlook [work / operations / staff]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes use this sense where 'oversee' or 'supervise' would be more natural. Also, be careful not to confuse this with 'to miss/not notice'. In work contexts, 'overlook the project' can mean 'manage the project' or 'miss the project' depending on context, so many writers prefer 'oversee' to avoid ambiguity.
Visawe
supervise (Very close in meaning; more common and straightforward in modern business English.)
|
oversee (Near-perfect synonym; often preferred in formal and written contexts.)
Vinyume
neglect (Opposite in the sense of not giving needed attention or care to work or people.)
|
abdicate (More formal; to give up responsibility, the opposite of actively overseeing it.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
overlook daily operations
|overlook the project
|overlook the staff
|overlook production
|overlook the department
Mada
work
|business
|management
Mifano
- She was hired to overlook the day-to-day running of the office.
- A senior engineer will overlook the construction of the new bridge.
- The committee will overlook the implementation of the new policy.
- He now overlooks operations in three different countries.
- Two supervisors overlook the work of all the interns.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- My manager overlooks our team of ten people.
- A coach overlooks the players during training.
- She overlooks the sales department in our company.
- One teacher overlooks the exam in each classroom.
- He was asked to overlook the new project.
Nomino
B2
entity
5
high place with a wide view
A place high above the ground where you can stop and see a big view of the land.
Muundo wa matumizi:
a(n) [adjective] overlook
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may not recognize that 'overlook' can be a noun. In American English, 'scenic overlook' is common on road signs in national parks and highways.
Visawe
viewpoint (Very close in meaning; used more generally for any place with a good view.)
|
lookout (Similar idea but can also imply a place used for watching for danger.)
Vinyume
lowland (A general term for low, flat land; opposite in elevation to a high viewing point like an overlook.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
scenic overlook
|mountain overlook
|roadside overlook
|viewpoint overlook
|stop at an overlook
Mada
travel
|nature
|geography
Mifano
- We pulled over at a roadside overlook to take photos of the valley.
- The trail ends at a rocky overlook with an amazing view of the lake.
- From the overlook, you can see the river winding through the forest.
- Tour buses often stop at the main overlook above the city.
- There was a small overlook with benches halfway up the mountain.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- We stopped at an overlook to see the mountains.
- The bus stopped at a scenic overlook.
- There is an overlook near the top of the hill.
- From the overlook, we saw the town below.
- Many tourists visit the overlook in the national park.
Sarufi
Umbo la kamusi
overlook
IPA
GB/ˈoʊvɚlˌʊk/
US/ˈoʊvɚlˌʊk/
Silabi na mkazo
over - look (silabi 2)
Stress on 1st syllable (over)
Maumbo ya neno
Noun
- Base: overlook
- Plural: overlooks
Verb
- Base: overlook
- 3rd Person Singular: overlooks
- Present Participle: overlooking
- Past: overlooked
Familia ya neno
Forms
overlooks
noun
overlooking
verb
overlooked
verb
Semi
Bado hakuna semi zilizounganishwa na ingizo hili.