1 B1 neutral
To comb hair growing on one side of the head over the top to cover a bald patch.
"He combed over what little hair he had left and hoped no one would notice."
separable
comb over
B1 neutral separable transitive
To comb long hair from one side of the head over to the other, typically to conceal baldness; also used as a noun for this hairstyle.
In plain English
When a person grows their hair long on one side and combs it over the top of their head to hide where they're going bald.
What does "comb over" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
(As a noun: comb-over) A hairstyle in which hair is grown long on one side and combed over the top of the head.
"His comb-over was no longer fooling anyone — it was clearly time to embrace the baldness."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
Fully transparent: to comb hair over from one area to cover another.
Actually means
When a person grows their hair long on one side and combs it over the top of their head to hide where they're going bald.
Usage tip
Very commonly used as a noun ('a comb-over') to describe the hairstyle. As a verb, it appears in both literal and humorous contexts. The noun 'comb-over' is hyphenated. Widely understood in all varieties of English.
Words that pair with "comb over"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
bald patch thinning hair side top baldness
How to conjugate "comb over"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
comb over
I/you/we/they
3rd person
combs over
he/she/it
Past simple
combed over
yesterday
Past participle
combed over
have + pp
-ing form
combing over
continuous
Hear "comb over" in the wild
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