Cool MateHe's gonna lick this thing vs Overcome
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
He's gonna lick this thing
InformalTop 5,000 (fairly common)
Overcome
Top 5,000 (fairly common)B2verb
Most formal: Overcome
| He's gonna lick this thing | Overcome | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //hiːz ˈɡɒnə lɪk ðɪs θɪŋ//🇺🇸 //hiːz ˈɡɑːnə lɪk ðɪs θɪŋ// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˌəʊvəˈkʌm/","/ˌəʊvəˈkʌmz/","/ˌəʊvəˈkeɪm/","/ˌəʊvəˈkʌmɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˌəʊvərˈkʌm/","/ˌəʊvərˈkʌmz/","/ˌəʊvərˈkeɪm/","/ˌəʊvərˈkʌmɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | He will defeat or handle this situation well. | To succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty. |
| Example | He’s gonna lick this thing and impress everyone at work. | She managed to overcome her fear of flying after taking several lessons. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | gonna handle it, gonna defeat, gonna master it | completely, successfully, not entirely, be able to, help (to), help somebody (to), an attempt to overcome something, completely, successfully, not entirely, be able to, help (to), help somebody (to), an attempt to overcome something, completely, quite, almost, by, with |
| Antonyms | - | succumb, yield, surrender |
| Common mistakes | Misunderstanding 'gonna' as a standard verb instead of informal speech., Overusing 'gonna' in formal writing or presentations., Confusing 'lick' with its literal meaning instead of its slang usage. | Using 'overcome' without an object (e.g. 'I will overcome' should specify what)., Confusing 'overcome' with 'overcame', which is the past tense., Mistaking 'overcome' for 'overlook', which means to miss something. |
| Usage notes | Used mostly in spoken English among friends. Avoid in formal situations. | Use 'overcome' in contexts where you talk about facing and defeating challenges. It is appropriate in both spoken and written English, but may sound a bit more formal in everyday conversation. |
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Frequently asked questions: He's gonna lick this thing vs Overcome
What's the difference between He's gonna lick this thing and Overcome?
He's gonna lick this thing: He will defeat or handle this situation well. Overcome: To succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty.
Which is more formal: He's gonna lick this thing and Overcome?
Overcome is the most formal of these.
Can you show an example of each?
He's gonna lick this thing: He’s gonna lick this thing and impress everyone at work. Overcome: She managed to overcome her fear of flying after taking several lessons.
Can I use He's gonna lick this thing and Overcome interchangeably?
Not always. He's gonna lick this thing and Overcome are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.