Cool MateOvercome vs They broke through our defences
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Overcome
They broke through our defences
| Overcome | They broke through our defences | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˌəʊvəˈkʌm/","/ˌəʊvəˈkʌmz/","/ˌəʊvəˈkeɪm/","/ˌəʊvəˈkʌmɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˌəʊvərˈkʌm/","/ˌəʊvərˈkʌmz/","/ˌəʊvərˈkeɪm/","/ˌəʊvərˈkʌmɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //breɪk θruː//🇺🇸 //breɪk θru// |
| Meaning | To succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty. | They succeeded in getting past our protection. |
| Example | She managed to overcome her fear of flying after taking several lessons. | The attackers broke through our defences during the night. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 3,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | 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 | break through a barrier, break through resistance, break through limitations |
| Antonyms | succumb, yield, surrender | - |
| Common mistakes | 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. | Confused with 'break down', which means to stop functioning., Using 'break through' as a noun instead of a verb. |
| Usage notes | 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. | Used in contexts of overcoming obstacles or difficulties. Appropriate in both military and metaphorical situations. Can imply success after struggle. |
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Frequently asked questions: Overcome vs They broke through our defences
What's the difference between Overcome and They broke through our defences?
Overcome: To succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty. They broke through our defences: They succeeded in getting past our protection.
Which is more common: Overcome and They broke through our defences?
They broke through our defences is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Overcome: She managed to overcome her fear of flying after taking several lessons. They broke through our defences: The attackers broke through our defences during the night.
Can I use Overcome and They broke through our defences interchangeably?
Not always. Overcome and They broke through our defences 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.