overdraw
verb
over·draw
ˌō-vər-ˈdrȯ 
overdrew
ˌō-vər-ˈdrü
; overdrawn
ˌō-vər-ˈdrȯn
; overdrawing
; overdrawn
ˌō-vər-ˈdrȯn
; overdrawing
1
: to draw checks on (a bank account) for more than the balance
the account was overdrawn
2
: to make an overdraft
Examples of overdraw in a Sentence
She overdrew her account by $100.
commentators have overdrawn the dangers of the sport in order to make it appear more exciting
Recent Examples on the Web
Even with this year’s moves to recharge California aquifers, the state is still overdrawing from its underground water supply, particularly due to agricultural irrigation, with deeper and deeper wells diminishing limited underground water.
—
Time, 24 Aug. 2023
One of his bank accounts is overdrawn by $320, and his other one has just 35 cents.
—Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 30 July 2023
Legislation passed in 2014 requires water districts to stop overdrawing their aquifers by the 2040s.
—Raymond Zhong, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2023
With overdraft transfers, a transaction that overdraws your checking account will trigger a transfer from your savings account to your checking account to cover the transaction.
—Ken Tumin, CBS News, 25 July 2023
Farmers overdraw the aquifer by about 820,000 acre-feet per year, and the region has long experienced drought.
—Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2023
Incidentally, the only fund overdrawn as of December 31, 2021 was that of the Park Bond, in the amount of $302.
—Jim Masters, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2023
Year after year California borrowed heavily from its future, pulling from its groundwater as if overdrawing from a bank account, which caused new problems.
—Brooke Jarvis, New York Times, 31 May 2023
Track your bank balance and you will never be overdrawn or surprised.
—WSJ, 17 Feb. 2023
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Time, 24 Aug. 2023
One of his bank accounts is overdrawn by $320, and his other one has just 35 cents.
—Reis Thebault, Washington Post, 30 July 2023
Legislation passed in 2014 requires water districts to stop overdrawing their aquifers by the 2040s.
—Raymond Zhong, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2023
With overdraft transfers, a transaction that overdraws your checking account will trigger a transfer from your savings account to your checking account to cover the transaction.
—Ken Tumin, CBS News, 25 July 2023
Farmers overdraw the aquifer by about 820,000 acre-feet per year, and the region has long experienced drought.
—Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2023
Incidentally, the only fund overdrawn as of December 31, 2021 was that of the Park Bond, in the amount of $302.
—Jim Masters, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2023
Year after year California borrowed heavily from its future, pulling from its groundwater as if overdrawing from a bank account, which caused new problems.
—Brooke Jarvis, New York Times, 31 May 2023
Track your bank balance and you will never be overdrawn or surprised.
—WSJ, 17 Feb. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overdraw.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1710, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near overdraw
Cite this Entry
“Overdraw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overdraw. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
overdraw
verb
over·draw
ˌō-vər-ˈdrȯ
1
: to draw checks on (a bank account) for more than the balance in it
2
Legal Definition
overdraw
verb
over·draw
ˌō-vər-ˈdrȯ
: to draw checks on (a bank account) for more than the balance
: to make an overdraft
More from Merriam-Webster on overdraw
Nglish: Translation of overdraw for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of overdraw for Arabic Speakers
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