overshadowed

Overshadowed is the past participle of overshadow and can function as both a verb form and an adjective. As a verb, to overshadow something is to cast a shadow over it—literally blocking light—or to draw attention away from it, thereby reducing its prominence or significance. As an adjective, overshadowed describes a person, work, place, or idea that has been made to seem less prominent by comparison with a more notable counterpart or by external attention.

The term derives from over- plus shadow and has been used in English to express relational or evaluative comparisons. In discussions of literature, film, and popular culture, an entity may be described as overshadowed when it receives less notice because another element dominates public perception or critical focus.

Usage typically implies a relational hierarchy rather than an inherent decline. It can reflect historical circumstance, marketing dynamics, or the sequencing of fame, and does not necessarily imply a value judgment about intrinsic merit.

Examples illustrate the sense: "The debut album was overshadowed by the artist's subsequent international hit." "The small town was overshadowed by a nearby metropolis." See also overshadowing, obscurity, eclipsed, upstaged.