overreact

verb

over·​re·​act ˌō-vər-rē-ˈakt How to pronounce overreact (audio)
overreacted; overreacting

intransitive verb

: to react to something too strongly : to respond to something with too strong an emotion or with unnecessary or excessive action
I was furious and yelled at him. He told me I was overreacting and to "chillax."Ben Stein
The world isn't coming to an end. You shouldn't overreact to the negative news.Adam Bryant
Some of his animals had become apprehensive and twitchy, overreacting to sound or touch …Mark Caldwell
But the military police overreacted, using tear gas, rubber bullets and excessive force in front of news cameras that spread the images countrywide.Grant Wahl
… the poisonous surfeit of hormones produced by the overreacting immune system.Shannon Brownlee
Sometimes companies in a little bit of trouble are the best investments because the market has overreacted.Orson C. Clay
overreaction noun
plural overreactions
… he had said almost angrily that he couldn't tell her anything without eliciting a huge overreaction. Ann Beattie
This response is an overreaction by your immune system to an otherwise harmless substance, such as pollen or pet dander. Medical Clinic Health Letter

Examples of overreact in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For students of government intelligence abuse, the true danger is in overreacting. TIME, 29 Feb. 2024 Admittedly disappointed, Bill Self wasn’t about to overreact to his Kansas Jayhawks’ 79-75 loss to Iowa State on Saturday at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2024 Avoid overreacting, overspending and making premature decisions. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2024 Others argue the insurers add to the hold up and overreact by asking for exorbitant increases. Stephen Hobbs, Sacramento Bee, 12 Feb. 2024 Refuse to let your emotions lead to overreacting or crossing boundaries that can disrupt your life, home or relationship. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 25 Jan. 2024 When affected by sepsis, the body essentially overreacts to an infection, which can cause organs to shut down. Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 29 Jan. 2024 Don’t overreact if someone decides to make a change that leaves you questioning what to do next. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2024 There’s another part that neither Republicans nor most Democrats want to talk about: a volatile tax system that overreacts to economic changes. Laurel Rosenhall, Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overreact.' 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

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overreact was in 1919

Dictionary Entries Near overreact

Cite this Entry

“Overreact.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overreact. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

overreact

intransitive verb
over·​re·​act ˌō-və(r)-rē-ˈakt How to pronounce overreact (audio)
: to react excessively or too strongly
the body's immune system overreacts to the endotoxinTina Adler
overreaction noun

More from Merriam-Webster on overreact

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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