Illustration of overhang
- 1 overhang 3
over·hang
ˈō-vər-ˌhaŋ 
ˌō-vər-ˈhaŋ
overhung
ˈō-vər-ˌhəŋ
ˌō-vər-ˈhəŋ
; overhanging
ˌō-vər-ˈhəŋ
; overhanging
: to project so as to be over something
over·hang
ˈō-vər-ˌhaŋ
plural overhangs
1
: something that overhangs
also
: the extent of the overhanging
2
: the part of the bow or stern of a ship that projects over the water above the waterline
3
: a projection of the roof or upper story of a building beyond the wall of the lower part
4
a
: an excess of something that is left over and not easily disposed of
inventory overhang
Housing prices will not stabilize until the massive overhang of foreclosed homes is reduced.—
Robert Borosage
Robert Borosage
b
: an excess amount of a commodity or security the selling of which often drives down the value of that kind of commodity or security
share overhang
Examples of overhang in a Sentence
Verb
A cliff overhangs the trail.
The patio was overhung by a canopy.
The path was overhung with willow trees.
Noun
The overhang of the roof cast a shadow on the ground.
a recess in the face of the cliff that is hidden by the thick vines dangling from the jagged overhang above
Recent Examples on the Web
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
Although some mushrooms tolerate sun, mushrooms are more likely to sprout in shady spots with lots of overhanging trees and brush.
—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
16 June 2026
Saeed Amidi,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Line pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on long sides.
—
Marianne Williams,
Southern Living,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for overhang
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Verb
That includes the overhanging flat roof supported by thin gold metallic columns.
—
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
Although some mushrooms tolerate sun, mushrooms are more likely to sprout in shady spots with lots of overhanging trees and brush.
—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
16 June 2026
Noun
One of the biggest challenges to ROI is overcoming the gap between what AI tools can do and how people are typically using them, a phenomenon OpenAI calls capability overhang.
—
Saeed Amidi,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
Line pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on long sides.
—
Marianne Williams,
Southern Living,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for overhang
Cite this Entry
“Overhang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overhang. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overhang
1 of 2 verb
over·hang
ˈō-vər-ˌhaŋ
ˌō-vər-ˈhaŋ
overhung
-ˌhəŋ
-ˈhəŋ
; overhanging
1
: to stick out or hang over
2
overhang
2 of 2 noun
over·hang
ˈō-vər-haŋ
: a part that overhangs
the overhang of a roof
Medical Definition
overhang
noun
over·hang
ˈō-vər-ˌhaŋ
: a portion of a filling that extends beyond the normal contour of a tooth
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