What does overgrow mean?
Overgrow means to grow over, cover, or extend beyond something, most often in reference to plants. A hedge may overgrow a wall, ivy may overgrow a path, and weeds may overgrow a garden, in each case changing the appearance or use of the place. The word can also describe growth that has become excessive, uncontrolled, or larger than expected: an abandoned settlement may be said to have been overgrown by forest. In this broader sense, overgrow often suggests a natural process that overwhelms human arrangements or boundaries. Its past tense, overgrown, is especially common and can describe either literal vegetation or something that has become excessively developed. The compound structure of the word, over plus grow, makes its central idea straightforward: growth continuing beyond the original limit.
verbTo grow or extend over something, often so as to cover or conceal it. It can also mean to become excessively large or abundant.
- To grow over or cover something, especially with vegetation.
- To become too large, abundant, or uncontrolled.
- To exceed a limit or boundary.
"Ivy began to overgrow the old stone wall, softening its severe outline."
"The hedges had overgrown the narrow lane, forcing walkers to push through the branches."
"Unchecked development began to overgrow the town, swallowing fields and woodland alike."
"Moss overgrew the abandoned steps until the stonework was barely visible."
A garden can become a jungle in a single growing season when its plants overgrow every path.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does overgrow come from?
The word combines the prefix over- with the English verb grow. Both elements are old: over- developed from the Germanic sense of 'above or beyond,' while grow has Old English roots. The compound therefore originally expressed growth beyond a normal boundary and came to be used especially for vegetation spreading over other plants, objects, or places. Its modern figurative uses follow the same idea of growth exceeding limits.
Related word forms
How overgrow is actually used
The word is commonly used for vegetation spreading over a surface or structure. It can also be used more broadly for growth that becomes excessive or uncontrolled.