Through vs. Over

Through vs. Over — Is There a Difference?
ADVERTISEMENT

Difference Between Through and Over

Throughpreposition

From one side of an opening to the other.

I went through the window.

Overadjective

Discontinued; ended or concluded.

The show is over.

Throughpreposition

Entering, then later leaving.

I drove through the town at top speed without looking left or right.

Overadverb

Thoroughly; completely; from beginning to end.

Let's talk over the project at tomorrow's meeting.Let me think that over.I'm going to look over our department's expenses.

Throughpreposition

Surrounded by (while moving).

We slogged through the mud for hours before turning back and giving up.

Overadverb

To an excessive degree; overly.

ADVERTISEMENT

Throughpreposition

By means of.

This team believes in winning through intimidation.

Overadverb

From an upright position to being horizontal.

He tipped the bottle over, and the water came gushing out.That building just fell over!He bent over to touch his toes.

Throughpreposition

(North America) To (or up to) and including, with all intermediate values.

from 1945 through 1991;the numbers 1 through 9;your membership is active through March 15, 2013

Overadverb

Horizontally; left to right or right to left.

Slide the toilet-paper dispenser's door over when one roll is empty in order to reveal the other.I moved over to make room for him to sit down.

Throughadjective

Passing from one side of something to the other.

Interstate highways form a nationwide system of through roads.

Overadverb

From one position or state to another.

Please pass that over to me.He came over to our way of thinking on the new project.Come over and play!I'll bring over a pizza.
ADVERTISEMENT

Throughadjective

Finished; complete.

They were through with laying the subroof by noon.

Overadverb

Overnight throughout the night.

We stayed over at Grandma's.Can I sleep over?

Throughadjective

Valueless; without a future.

After being implicated in the scandal, he was through as an executive in financial services.

Overadverb

Again; another time; once more; over again.

I lost my paper and I had to do the entire assignment over.

Throughadjective

No longer interested.

She was through with him.

Overadverb

(procedure word, military) a procedure word meaning that a station is finished transmitting and is expecting a response.

Bravo Six, this is Bravo Six Four. Stand by for ten mike report one dash three, over.Bravo Six Four, this is Bravo Six Actual. Send your traffic, over.

Throughadjective

Proceeding from origin to destination without delay due to change of equipment.

The through flight through Memphis was the fastest.

Overnoun

(cricket) A set of six legal balls bowled.

Throughadjective

(association football) In possession of the ball beyond the last line of defence but not necessarily the goalkeeper; through on goal.

Overnoun

Any surplus amount of money, goods delivered, etc.

Throughadverb

From one side to the other by way of the interior.

The arrow went straight through.

Overnoun

A shore, riverbank.

The sea's over.

Throughadverb

From one end to the other.

Others slept; he worked straight through.She read the letter through.

Overpreposition

Physical positioning.

Throughadverb

To the end.

He said he would see it through.

Overpreposition

On top of; above; higher than; further up.

Hold the sign up over your head.climb up the ladder and look over [the roof]

Throughadverb

Completely.

Leave the yarn in the dye overnight so the color soaks through.

Overpreposition

Across or spanning.

There is a bridge over the river.

Throughadverb

Out into the open.

The American army broke through at St. Lo.

Overpreposition

In such a way as to cover.

drape the fabric over the table;there is a roof over the house

Throughnoun

A large slab of stone laid in a dry-stone wall from one side to the other; a perpend.

Overpreposition

From one physical position to another via an obstacle that must be traversed vertically, first upwards and then downwards.

The dog jumped over the fence.I'll go over [the fence] first and then help you.Let's walk over the hill to get there.

Throughnoun

(obsolete) A coffin, sarcophagus or tomb of stone; a large slab of stone laid on a tomb.

Overpreposition

By comparison.

Throughadjective

having finished or arrived at completion;

certain to make history before he's doneit's a done deedafter the treatment, the patient is through except for follow-upalmost through with his studies

Overpreposition

More than; to a greater degree.

I prefer the purple over the pink.

Throughadjective

of a route or journey etc.; continuing without requiring stops or changes;

a through streeta through busthrough traffic

Overpreposition

Beyond; past; exceeding; too much or too far.

I think I’m over my limit for calories for today.

Throughadverb

from one end or side to the other;

jealousy pierced her through

Overpreposition

(in certain collocations) As compared to.

Sales are down this quarter over last.

Throughadverb

from beginning to end;

read this book through

Overpreposition

(mathematics) Divided by.

four over two equals two over one

Throughadverb

over the whole distance;

this bus goes through to New York

Overpreposition

(poker) Separates the three of a kind from the pair in a full house.

9♦9♠9♣6♥6♠ = nines over sixes

Throughadverb

to completion;

think this through very carefully!

Overpreposition

Finished with; done with; from one state to another via a hindrance that must be solved or defeated; or via a third state that represents a significant difference from the first two.

We got over the engineering problems and the prototype works great.I am over my cold and feel great again.I know the referee made a bad call, but you have to get over it [your annoyance with the referee's decision].She is finally over [the distress of] losing her job.He is finally over his [distress over the loss of the relationship with his] ex-girlfriend.

Throughadverb

in diameter;

this cylinder measures 15 inches through

Overpreposition

While using, especially while consuming.

Throughadverb

throughout the entire extent;

got soaked through in the rainI'm frozen througha letter shot through with the writer's personalityknew him through and throughboards rotten through and through

Overpreposition

Concerning or regarding.

The two boys had a fight over whose girlfriend was the best.

Overpreposition

Above, implying superiority after a contest; in spite of; notwithstanding.

We triumphed over difficulties.The bill was passed over the veto.It was a fine victory over their opponents.

Overinterjection

In radio communications: end of sentence, ready to receive reply.

How do you receive? Over!

Overnoun

(cricket) the period during which a given number of balls (6 in England but 8 in Australia) are bowled at the batsman by one player from the other team from the same end of the pitch

Overadjective

having come or been brought to a conclusion;

the harvesting was completethe affair is over, ended, finishedthe abruptly terminated interview

Overadverb

at or to a point across intervening space etc.;

come over and see us some timeover there

Overadverb

throughout an area;

he is known the world over

Overadverb

in such a manner as to be understood and accepted;

she cannot get her ideas across

Overadverb

throughout a period of time;

stay over the weekend