Spanish word

sobreponer

Pronunciation

IPA/soβɾepoˈneɾ/

Meaning

  • verbovercome

Example

Ella se sobrepuso a la tristeza.

She overcame her sadness.

Illustration for sobreponer (overcome)

More examples

Después de perder el trabajo, pudo sobreponerse a la situación.

After losing her job, she was able to get over the situation.

Core concept

A person regaining footing after an emotional blow.

Common phrases

  • sobreponerse a

    get over

  • sobreponerse a las dificultades

    get over difficulties

Similar words

superar: Overcomes a difficulty and moves forward, making progress beyond the obstacle.
vencer: Defeats an opponent or obstacle and achieves a clear victory.
recuperarse: Recovers physical or mental health after illness or grief.
sobrellevar: Endures a painful situation and manages to keep going despite strain.

Definition in Spanish

Vencer o dominar una adversidad o el impacto emocional que provoca.

Word origin

From Spanish sobre 'over' + poner 'to put' (from Latin ponere), with the reflexive sense 'to put oneself over' evolving to mean mastering or recovering from adversity.

Usage tips

  • Usually used reflexively and followed by a when naming what is overcome, while in casual speech speakers often prefer superar or recuperarse.

Other meanings

  • pull oneself togetherverb
  • recoververb

Opposites

Related words

  • sobreponersepull oneself togetherverb
  • sobrepuestorecoveredadjective

Word lists with this word