überwinden
Translation
to overcome, to conquer, to surmount
Examples
Man muss seine Ängste überwinden.
One must overcome one's fears.
Er hat die Schwierigkeiten überwunden.
He has overcome the difficulties.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to overcome (sth.) She had to überwinden her shyness.
Similar Words
Synonyms: bewältigen (to cope with), besiegen (to defeat); Antonyms: scheitern (to fail), aufgeben (to give up)
Etymology
From 'über-' (over) and 'winden' (to wind, twist). The idea is to get 'over' a twisted difficulty.
Memory Tips
Imagine climbing 'over' a 'winding' and difficult path to get to the top.