overlooked
/ˌəʊ.vəˈlʊk/ (bre, ipa) · [ˈovɚlˌʊkt] /ˌoʊ.vɚˈlʊk/ (ame, ipa) · [ˈovɚlˌʊkt] /ˌō-vər-ˈlu̇kt/ (ame, mw)
overlooked — verb
- overlookedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- overlookeds3rd person singular
- overlookeding-ing form
- overlookededpast simple
1. If a window, balcony, or tall building overlooks a particular area, it offers a
If a window, balcony, or tall building overlooks a particular area, it offers a view of that area from a higher position.
From the hilltop, the restaurant's windows overlooked the valley and the small villages below.
inanimate subject (windows) showing the view pattern
The balcony of their hotel room overlooked the busy harbour, where Luca watched the ferries come and go.
overlook + noun phrase (place viewed)
The apartment was chosen because the living room overlooked the park and the playground.
The house was built on a cliff so that the kitchen windows overlooked the ocean at sunset.
- look out on
more conversational; a building looks out on a view
- face
focuses on direction rather than height; a room can face the street without being above it
- command
formal and dramatic; a fortress commands a valley from a high position
文法句型
overlook + noun phrase (the place being viewed)
用法筆記
The subject is always a building, structure, or natural high place — never a person. This sense describes the view from a location, not a human action.
常見錯誤
2. to miss seeing an important fact, detail, or person because you are not paying e
to miss seeing an important fact, detail, or person because you are not paying enough attention or because it is easy to miss.
The editor rushed through the file and overlooked two spelling mistakes on the first page.
overlook + noun phrase (the missed item)
Jude realised he had overlooked the email from his boss because it landed in the spam folder.
Andrei quickly scanned the contract and overlooked a clause about the early payment fee.
The teacher overlooked Hana's raised hand because two other students were asking questions at the same time.
An important safety warning was overlooked by the construction team during the inspection.
文法句型
overlook + noun phrase (the thing/person not noticed)
be overlooked + by + agent
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice (be + overlooked) when the focus is on the thing that was missed rather than the person who missed it. The agent is introduced with 'by'.
常見錯誤
3. to decide not to punish or criticize someone for a minor mistake or failure, act
to decide not to punish or criticize someone for a minor mistake or failure, acting as if it did not happen.
The manager decided to overlook Luca's late arrival because he had a good reason for being delayed.
overlook + noun phrase (the fault being forgiven)
Esme knew her boss had spotted the error but chose to overlook it this time.
The referee overlooked the player's accidental handball and allowed the goal to stand.
Grandmother usually overlooks small mistakes like spilling juice, but she expects good manners at the table.
文法句型
overlook + noun phrase (the mistake or behaviour being forgiven)
用法筆記
More formal than 'forgive' or 'excuse'. Often used in legal, managerial, or official contexts where someone has the authority to decide whether to apply a penalty.
常見錯誤
overlooked — adjective
- overlookedpositive
- more overlookedcomparative
- most overlookedsuperlative
1. describes a person, quality, or thing that has not received the attention, recog
describes a person, quality, or thing that has not received the attention, recognition, or consideration it deserves.
Andrei was an overlooked candidate with strong qualifications who never got a callback.
adjective before noun: overlooked candidate
The report pointed out several overlooked safety issues in the factory basement.
Mert felt overlooked when his younger sister received all the attention from the relatives.
A small but important detail remained overlooked until the final review of the project.
Linh's talent for drawing had been overlooked for years until a gallery owner discovered her work.
- noticed
seen or observed
- recognized
given credit or attention for value or achievement
用法筆記
Often used with 'feel' or 'remain' to describe a state. Can appear before a noun (an overlooked detail) or after a linking verb (felt overlooked). The focus is on the result — the thing has already been missed — rather than the act of missing it.