eclipse

Word family

• eclipsed
  adjectiveB2
• eclipsing
  adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

All four verbs describe one person or thing doing better than another, but they differ in emphasis. Surpass is the most neutral term — it simply means to go beyond someone in achievement or quality (e.g., the runner surpassed the world record). Outshine suggests a visible brightness that makes the rival look dull in comparison, often used in performance or talent contexts (e.g., the young violinist outshone her teachers). Overshadow focuses on the effect of making another seem less important, without necessarily being better in every way — a large company might overshadow a smaller one even if the smaller one is more innovative. Outdo is about beating someone at a specific task, often in a competitive or personal way (e.g., she outdid her brother at chess). Eclipse carries the strongest metaphorical force from its astronomical origin: it implies the surpassed rival is almost completely hidden from view, no longer in the spotlight.

Common collocations

Etymology

Eclipse entered English in the 13th century through Old French, from Latin eclipsis, which came from Greek ékleipsis (ἔκλειψις), meaning 'a failure, abandonment, or forsaking'. The Greek word was formed from ek- ('out') and leipein ('to leave'), so the literal sense was 'a leaving out' or 'a failing to appear'. The astronomical meaning — one heavenly body failing to shine because another blocks its light — was already present in ancient Greek. By the late 16th century, English writers had extended the word figuratively to describe any situation in which one thing surpasses another so completely that it seems to vanish from notice.