over the roof

USAGE SUMMARY

"over the roof" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use this phrase to indicate something that went beyond the limits of something else or to refer to something that is visible from far away. For example, "The firework flew over the roof and everyone got a glimpse of its bright colors."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The walls were unevenly knocked over, the roof unevenly caved in.

The New York Times

Less so New York, where Koons is scheduled to take over the roof of the Metropolitan Museum, one of the city's premiere..

University of Chicago

VICELAND is taking over the roof of the Bussey Building to host an ode to Tarantino.

Vice

A Black Hawk flies over the roof.

The New York Times

FLYING over the roof of the world can be tricky.

The Economist

The water, he said, is "over the roof".

The New York Times

Try to beat the ball over the roof.

The New York Times - Sports

Pages of a map were scattered over the roof.

The New York Times

A celebratory over-sized Union Flag was raised over the roof of the palace.

The Guardian

"I thought it was going to go over the roof," Torre said.

The New York Times - Sports

Murray's body is then rolled up in fabric and tossed over the roof of the building.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Employ "over the roof" to illustrate actions that figuratively surpass expectations or limitations, extending beyond a defined boundary.

Common error

Avoid using "over the roof" interchangeably with prepositions like "on" or "above" when precision is crucial. "On the roof" means directly touching the roof's surface, while "above the roof" indicates a position higher than the roof but not necessarily covering it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "over the roof" primarily functions as a prepositional phrase, often modifying a verb or noun to indicate spatial relationships. Ludwig confirms this, showcasing examples where it describes the position or movement relative to a roof. It specifies location or trajectory, for example, water flowing "over the roof" after heavy rain.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Wiki

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the prepositional phrase "over the roof" is grammatically sound and widely used, as confirmed by Ludwig. It's predominantly found in news, media, and general contexts. This phrase serves to describe spatial relationships, often indicating something covering, surpassing, or passing above a roof. While generally neutral, its precise meaning depends on context; it should not be confused with similar prepositions like "on" or "above". Understanding these nuances, along with practical writing tips, ensures the accurate and effective usage of "over the roof" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

above the rooftop

This alternative focuses specifically on the elevated position relative to the roof.

on top of the roof

This emphasizes the physical placement directly on the roof surface.

atop the roof

This alternative suggests a direct vertical positioning on the roof.

extending beyond the roof

This phrase emphasizes the act of something surpassing the roof's boundary.

higher than the roof

This option emphasizes a difference in altitude compared to the roof.

across the roof

This option implies movement or presence on the roof, rather than above it.

spanning the roof

This option suggests covering or stretching across the roof's surface.

above the structure

This broadens the scope to anything above the building.

over the building

This alternative focuses on covering the building structure.

surmounting the roof

This implies overcoming or rising above the roof.

FAQs

How can I use "over the roof" in a sentence?

You can use "over the roof" to describe a physical position, such as "The floodwaters rose "over the roof"" or a metaphorical situation, such as "His excitement went "over the roof" when he heard the news."

What are some alternatives to saying "over the roof"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "above the rooftop", "atop the roof", or "extending beyond the roof".

Is it correct to say "above the roof" instead of "over the roof"?

While both phrases indicate a higher position, "above the roof" generally implies a higher altitude without necessarily covering the roof, whereas ""over the roof"" often suggests covering or extending across the roof.

What's the difference between "on the roof" and "over the roof"?

"On the roof" means something is physically touching the roof's surface. "Over the roof" implies that something is either covering it or passing above it without necessarily touching it.