eclipse

/ɪˈklɪps/

Say it: ih-KLIPS

1. verb To surpass or outshine someone or something, making them seem less important or impressive by comparison.
Her stunning performance in the final round eclipsed all the other contestants.
2. noun An astronomical event in which one celestial body is temporarily obscured by another passing in front of it or by its shadow.
We used special glasses to safely watch the total solar eclipse.
3. verb To cause the obscuring of light from a celestial body by passing in front of it.
The moon will eclipse the sun for several minutes tomorrow afternoon.
4. noun A loss of significance, power, or prominence in relation to another person or thing.
The actor's later work was in eclipse, never matching the success of his early films.

📖 Seen in the wild

The new discovery threatened to eclipse all previous research in the field.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ eclipse in a sentence

The tech startup's latest innovation threatens to eclipse the products of its established rivals.
Millions of people traveled to the path of totality to witness the rare celestial event.
His personal troubles were soon eclipsed by a much larger national crisis.
For a brief period, his fame eclipsed even that of the biggest movie stars.
The news of the merger completely eclipsed our quarterly earnings report.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth's shadow falls upon the moon.
The scandal eclipsed all the positive achievements of his administration.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

outshine overshadow surpass dwarf outdo transcend upstage outclass

outshine · implies surpassing through superior brilliance or talent.

overshadow · suggests diminishing something by being more prominent, sometimes with a negative connotation.

surpass · a more general term for exceeding something in quality, achievement, or degree.

dwarf · emphasizes making something else seem small or insignificant by comparison.

Opposites: enhance, boost, promote, amplify, illuminate

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'eclipse' journeyed from the Greek 'ekleipsis', meaning 'an abandonment' or 'a failing to appear'. This came from the verb 'ekleipein', which breaks down into 'ek' (out) and 'leipein' (to leave). The ancient Greeks saw an eclipse as the sun or moon literally 'leaving' the sky, a concept that evolved into our modern astronomical and metaphorical senses of being obscured or surpassed.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

total solar eclipselunar eclipseeclipse the competitioneclipse a recordin eclipseeclipse the achievements of

While its astronomical meaning is precise, the metaphorical use of 'eclipse' is far more common in everyday language. It is a strong, dramatic verb that implies a total surpassing, not just a minor victory. Use it when one thing so thoroughly outclasses another that the lesser thing seems to fade from view entirely.

Word family: eclipsed, ecliptic

💬 Quick answers

What does eclipse mean?

It can mean to block the light of a celestial body, like in a solar eclipse, or more commonly, to surpass or outshine something, making it seem less important by comparison.

What is the difference between eclipse and overshadow?

To eclipse is to surpass something so completely it seems to disappear, often through brilliance. To overshadow is to diminish something, often by casting a negative influence or simply by being more prominent.

Is eclipse a noun or a verb?

It is both. As a noun, it refers to the event itself ('a solar eclipse'). As a verb, it is the action of blocking or surpassing ('her talent eclipsed his').

What is a simple example of an eclipse?

A solar eclipse is when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking our view of the Sun. A lunar eclipse is when Earth passes between the Sun and Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon.

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