over·run
ˌō-vər-ˈrən 
ˌō-və-
overran
ˌō-vər-ˈran
ˌō-və-
; overrun; overrunning
1
a(1)
: to defeat decisively and occupy the positions of
(2)
: to invade and occupy or ravage
b
: to spread or swarm over : infest
2
a
: to run or go beyond or past
the plane overran the runway
b
: exceed
overrun a budget
c
: to readjust (set type) by shifting letters or words from one line into another
3
: to flow over
the river overran its banks
over·run
ˈō-vər-ˌrən
ˈō-və-
1
: an act or instance of overrunning
especially
: an exceeding of the costs estimated in a contract for development and manufacture of new equipment
2
: the amount by which something overruns
3
: a run in excess of the quantity ordered by a customer
Synonyms
Examples of overrun in a Sentence
Verb
The tank divisions overran the countryside.
The city was being overrun by enemy troops.
The plane overran the runway.
His speech overran the time allowed.
Recent Examples on the Web
Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
Within months, TikTok – once overrun with bread making tutorials in the early days of the pandemic – gave way to breaking news, analysis, and get-out-the-vote messages.
—USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024
Like many beaches on this list that aren't overrun with tourists, note that there are no public restroom facilities.
—Cynthia J Drake, Southern Living, 25 Mar. 2024
The other project involves creating additional aquatic and wetland habitats along a 41-acre section of the Colorado River that has been overrun by invasive plant species.
—The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2024
Chega cultivated a following among younger voters via social media.
Voters who supported Chega responded to the party’s anti-corruption message and its claims, despite a lack of evidence, that Portugal is being overrun by migrants who are committing more crimes.
—Catarina Fernandes Martins, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024
With gangs now overrunning Port-au-Prince, time had run out.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024
It’s gotten to the point where even the hyenas have noticed that one of the world’s great wildlife refuges is overrun by visitors.
—Michael M. Phillips, WSJ, 25 Feb. 2024
Taliban fighters had overrun numerous cities and districts on their march to Kabul, facing nominal resistance from the Afghan security forces trained and subsidized by the U.S. government for more than 20 years.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 20 Mar. 2024
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2024
The city has overspent by $288 million so far this budget year, with about half the overruns incurred by the police and fire departments.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024
The latest setback follows years of holdups and budget overruns with the Artemis program.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 9 Jan. 2024
Not addressing data early can result in delays, untrustworthy analytics, cost overruns and even failure.
—Kevin Campbell, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Eight years later, in Nixon v. Fitzgerald, the court voted 5 to 4 in favor of Nixon in a civil case brought by an Air Force analyst who said he was fired in 1970 in retaliation for his criticism of cost overruns.
—Adam Liptak, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2023
Other employers and unions nationwide are facing similar cost overruns.
—Kevin Lyons, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2024
Firmly established as a popstar, Carmen released his second studio album, Boats Against the Current, to great expectation in 1977, although the recording of the album was fraught with problems and cost overruns.
—Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2024
But persistent cost overruns during its development phase nearly led to the cancellation of the International Space Station, and doomed the George W. Bush Administration’s Constellation program, which planned crewed missions to the moon and to Mars.
—David W. Brown, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Verb
They are being overrun by autocracies around the world.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
Within months, TikTok – once overrun with bread making tutorials in the early days of the pandemic – gave way to breaking news, analysis, and get-out-the-vote messages.
—USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024
Like many beaches on this list that aren't overrun with tourists, note that there are no public restroom facilities.
—Cynthia J Drake, Southern Living, 25 Mar. 2024
The other project involves creating additional aquatic and wetland habitats along a 41-acre section of the Colorado River that has been overrun by invasive plant species.
—The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2024
Chega cultivated a following among younger voters via social media.
Voters who supported Chega responded to the party’s anti-corruption message and its claims, despite a lack of evidence, that Portugal is being overrun by migrants who are committing more crimes.
—Catarina Fernandes Martins, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024
With gangs now overrunning Port-au-Prince, time had run out.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024
It’s gotten to the point where even the hyenas have noticed that one of the world’s great wildlife refuges is overrun by visitors.
—Michael M. Phillips, WSJ, 25 Feb. 2024
Taliban fighters had overrun numerous cities and districts on their march to Kabul, facing nominal resistance from the Afghan security forces trained and subsidized by the U.S. government for more than 20 years.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 20 Mar. 2024
Noun
Corinne Purtill | Los Angeles Times (TNS) Massive cost overruns.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2024
The city has overspent by $288 million so far this budget year, with about half the overruns incurred by the police and fire departments.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024
The latest setback follows years of holdups and budget overruns with the Artemis program.
—Denise Chow, NBC News, 9 Jan. 2024
Not addressing data early can result in delays, untrustworthy analytics, cost overruns and even failure.
—Kevin Campbell, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Eight years later, in Nixon v. Fitzgerald, the court voted 5 to 4 in favor of Nixon in a civil case brought by an Air Force analyst who said he was fired in 1970 in retaliation for his criticism of cost overruns.
—Adam Liptak, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2023
Other employers and unions nationwide are facing similar cost overruns.
—Kevin Lyons, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2024
Firmly established as a popstar, Carmen released his second studio album, Boats Against the Current, to great expectation in 1977, although the recording of the album was fraught with problems and cost overruns.
—Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2024
But persistent cost overruns during its development phase nearly led to the cancellation of the International Space Station, and doomed the George W. Bush Administration’s Constellation program, which planned crewed missions to the moon and to Mars.
—David W. Brown, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overrun.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near overrun
Cite this Entry
“Overrun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overrun. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overrun
1 of 2 verb
over·run
ˌō-və(r)-ˈrən
overran
-ˈran
; overrun; overrunning
; overrun; overrunning
1
a
: to invade and occupy
the island was overrun by the enemy
b
: to spread, swarm, or grow over
a garden overrun with weeds
rats overran the ship
2
: to run or go beyond or past
overran third base
the program overran the time allowed
3
: flow over
the river overran its banks
overrun
2 of 2 noun
over·run
ˈō-və(r)-ˌrən
1
: an act or instance of overrunning
2
: the amount by which something overruns
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