How to pronounce overweening
Say it like oh-ver-WEE-ning. Overweening has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (WEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce overweening. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- oh
- ver
- WEE
- ning
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Overweening pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- verKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- WEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- ningKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of overweening
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: oh-vuh-WEE-ning.
What does overweening mean?
- Unduly confident; (sometimes also) arrogant.“She wins one modeling contest in Montana and suddenly she’s overweening.”
- Exaggerated, excessive.
- present participle and gerund of overween
Where does overweening come from?
From Middle English overweninge, equivalent to overween + -ing.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with overweening
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of overweening.
Questions about saying overweening
How do you pronounce overweening?
Say oh-ver-WEE-ning. The American pronunciation is /oʊvɚˈwinɪŋ/. In British English it is /əʊvəˈwiːnɪŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in overweening?
Overweening has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (WEE). Broken into parts: oh · ver · WEE · ning.
Is overweening pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /əʊvəˈwiːnɪŋ/ (oh-vuh-WEE-ning).