Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
An overriding method is a method in a subclass that has the same name, parameters, and return type as a method in its superclass. It is used to provide a different implementation of the method in the subclass.
The superclass is the class that is being extended or inherited from. It contains methods and variables that can be accessed by its subclasses.
Method parameters: Method parameters are variables declared in the parentheses of a method declaration. They represent values that need to be passed into the method when it is called.
Method implementation: Method implementation refers to writing the actual code inside a method's body to define what it does when called. In an overriding method, this means providing a new implementation for the inherited method from the superclass.