Eclipse is used as a verb for something becoming more important or noticeable than something else, and in astronomythe scientific study of stars, planets, and other objects in space for one body blockingstopping light or sight from passing through or being seen another from view. As a noun, it refersmeans or points to a particular thing or idea to that blocking event itself.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-01. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ih-KLIPS/
Easy pronunciation: ih-KLIPS (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the second syllable.
Verb meaning to be greater in significance than; to outshine or overshadow.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-11-01. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Eclipse Meaning
to outshine or overshadow something or someone
Part of speech: verb
Definition: be greater in significance than
Example: Her success eclipsed all her earlier achievements.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- dominate — Works when one thing becomes more prominent or powerful than another.
- overshadow — A strong everyday substitute when something is made less noticeable by something else.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-01. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Eclipse
Meaning 2
to block the light of a celestial body
Part of speech: verb
Definition: cause an eclipse of (a celestial body) by intervention
Example: The Sun eclipses the moon today.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- occult — Technical astronomical verb; valid in this sense, but much less common in everyday English.
Meaning 3
an event in which one celestial body blocks another from view
Part of speech: noun
Definition: one celestial body obscures another
Example: The solar eclipse lasted only a few minutes.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- occultation — Astronomy term for this event; precise but specialized.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-11-01. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Eclipse Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- dominate
- overshadow
astronomy verb: to block the light of a celestial body
- occult
noun: the astronomical event of one body blocking another
- occultation
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-01. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using eclipse as if it only means a solar eclipse; it can also be used more generally as a verb meaning to outshine or overshadow.
- Mixing up the verb eclipse with the noun eclipse, which names the event itself.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-01. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does eclipse mean?
Eclipse can mean to outshine or make something less important. In astronomy, it can also mean to block a celestial body from view, and as a noun it names that event.
What is a simple synonym for eclipse?
For the common figurative verb sense, good synonyms are overshadow and dominate. For the astronomy senses, the more exact terms are occult and occultation.
Is eclipse a noun or a verb?
It can be both. As a verb, it means to outshine or to block a celestial body. As a noun, it means the event when one body blocks another.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-01. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
