overcame

Overcame is the simple past tense form of the verb overcome. It describes the act of succeeding in dealing with a difficulty, obstacle, or threat, or prevailing against adversity. The term also appears in phrases describing being overwhelmed by emotion, such as being overcome with joy or grief.

Etymology and forms: The verb overcome comes from the prefix over- combined with come, with come tracing back to Old English cuman. Overcame is irregular, forming the past tense of overcome rather than adding a standard -ed. The past participle form is overcome, which is used with perfect tenses (has overcome, had overcome).

Grammatical usage: Overcame is ordinarily transitive, taking a direct object (e.g., overcome an obstacle, overcome fear). It can also occur in intransitive or quasi-passive constructions when used with the object being something already faced (e.g., the odds were overcome). In addition, overcome can function as an adjective in phrases such as "overcome with joy," where it describes a state resulting from overwhelming emotion. The present tense form is overcomes (he overcomes); the past tense is overcame; the past participle is overcome.

Examples: She overcame her fear of heights through gradual exposure and practice. The team overcame the odds to win the championship. After the verdict, the city was overcome with relief.

See also: overcome (base form), overcoming, overcame in other tenses. Usage notes emphasize its irregular past tense and its applicability to challenges, adversity, and emotional states.