1 B1 neutral
Of the sky: to become covered with clouds, causing the weather to change.
"It was sunny in the morning, but the sky began to cloud over by early afternoon."
inseparable
cloud over
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
Of the sky: to become covered with clouds; also of a face or expression: to show sadness or worry.
In plain English
When the sky fills up with clouds, or when someone's face suddenly looks sad or worried.
What does "cloud over" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
Of a person's face or eyes: to suddenly show an expression of sadness, worry, or disapproval.
"Her face clouded over when she heard the news about her colleague."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To become covered ('over') with clouds ('cloud').
Actually means
When the sky fills up with clouds, or when someone's face suddenly looks sad or worried.
Usage tip
Used both for weather (the sky clouding over) and figuratively for facial expressions and moods. When used of a person's face, it vividly describes a sudden change in expression. Common in descriptive writing and everyday speech.
Words that pair with "cloud over"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
sky face expression eyes mood afternoon
How to conjugate "cloud over"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
cloud over
I/you/we/they
3rd person
clouds over
he/she/it
Past simple
clouded over
yesterday
Past participle
clouded over
have + pp
-ing form
clouding over
continuous
Hear "cloud over" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "cloud over" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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