overviewed

Overviewed is the past tense and past participle of the verb overview, a back-formation from the noun overview meaning a general summary or survey. To overview something means to provide a broad, non-detailed account of its main features, components, or conclusions. The verb is relatively uncommon compared with more explicit phrases such as “provide an overview of” or “summarize.”

In use, overviewed appears in formal writing, such as business reports, project reviews, and academic contexts, where the writer intends to emphasize the act of presenting a concise view of a topic. It can refer to a single briefing or to a comprehensive survey of a document, plan, or study. Because “to overview” is less widely accepted than alternative expressions, some style guides favor phrases like “overviewed the topic” replaced by “provided an overview of” or simply “summarized.”

Dictionaries acknowledge the verb, though it remains marginal in everyday usage. The present participle is overviewing, and the base form remains the standard indicator of tense in dependent clauses. Do not confuse overviewed with overseen, the past participle of oversee, which means to supervise.

Examples: The analyst overviewed the data set, highlighting key trends. The committee overviewed the proposed policy before the vote.

Related terms include overview (noun), summarize, survey, briefing, and synopsis. The choice between overviewed and more common alternatives depends on style, formality, and clarity.