overbook

verb

over·book | \ˌō-vər-ˈbu̇k

overbooked; overbooking; overbooks

Definition of overbook

transitive verb

: to issue reservations for (something, such as an airplane flight) in excess of the space available

intransitive verb

: to issue reservations in excess of the space available

Examples of overbook in a Sentence

The flight was overbooked, and I got bumped off. The airline overbooked the flight. The doctor's office called and said that they overbooked the appointments for today.

Recent Examples on the Web

There are the security delays and changing restrictions, overbooking and flight delays with no communication. — Pat Lenhoff, chicagotribune.com, "Column: The magic and horror of air travel," 12 July 2018 Knott says the domestic steel plants are overbooked. — Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, "Trade battle takes its toll on local manufacturers," 11 June 2018 And then, the family was told all Delta flights were overbooked until that Tuesday. — Megan Friedman, Country Living, "Delta Airlines Paid One Family $11,000 to Give Up Their Airline Seats," 11 Apr. 2017 Be aware, though: Early screenings are usually overbooked, and your pass does not guarantee you a seat. — Adam Lukach, RedEye Chicago, "New Ruth Bader Ginsburg documentary gets early (free!) screening April 25 in Chicago," 18 Apr. 2018 Because such screenings are usually overbooked to ensure strong attendance, it is recommended that moviegoers arrive early to get a seat. — Mike Scott, NOLA.com, "Here's how you can see Amy Schumer's 'I Feel Pretty' for free," 12 Apr. 2018 While overbooking is perfectly legal, the hotel industry also has industry-standard policies in effect to prevent guests such as Cole from being kicked out on the street. — Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, "Travel nightmares: What to do if your hotel reservation is lost," 22 Apr. 2018 Because such screenings are usually overbooked to ensure strong attendance, it is recommended that movie-goers arrive early for the screening. — Mike Scott, NOLA.com, "Here's how you can see Amazon's 'Sneaky Pete' for free," 9 July 2017 Here's where Delta differed from United when a flight was overbooked. — Megan Friedman, Country Living, "Delta Airlines Paid One Family $11,000 to Give Up Their Airline Seats," 11 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'overbook.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.