In object-oriented programming, what does it mean to override a method?

• A. To replace a method in the parent class with a new one in the child without preserving the original signature.
• B. To overload a method by changing its parameters.
• C. To provide a new implementation in the subclass for a method with the same signature as the one in the parent.
• D. To hide a method by making it private in the subclass.

Answer: (C)

Overriding means a subclass provides its own version of a method that already exists in its parent, using the same method signature (the same name and parameter list). When you call that method on an object of the subclass, the subclass’s implementation runs, allowing behavior that is specific to the subclass while preserving the same interface.

This relies on dynamic binding: at runtime, the program decides which method to execute based on the actual type of the object, enabling polymorphic behavior.

This is why the statement describing providing a new implementation in the subclass for a method with the same signature as the one in the parent is the best match. Overloading would involve a different parameter list, not replacing the existing method. Hiding a method by making it private changes visibility and does not constitute overriding. Replacing a method without a matching signature isn’t correct because the same signature is the defining feature of overriding.