overshoot

verb

over·​shoot ˌō-vər-ˈshüt 

overshot ˌō-vər-ˈshät  ; overshooting

transitive verb

1

: to pass swiftly beyond

2

: to shoot or pass over or beyond so as to miss

overshoot

ˈō-vər-ˌshüt 

noun

Synonyms of overshoot

• exceed
• surpass

Examples of overshoot in a Sentence

The plane overshot the runway.

Sometimes we overshoot our time limits.

Recent Examples on the Web

Both days had overshot an earlier record in 2024. —Rajesh Kumar Singh, Bloomberg, 27 Apr. 2026

That might be overshooting it a little bit. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026

Blue light photons, which currently overshoot the threshold and shed the excess as heat, could instead be split into two usable excitons each, reducing heat loss and increasing current. —New Atlas, 13 Apr. 2026

If clean energy is not deployed at scale where demand is growing fastest, global emissions trajectories will overshoot every target, no matter how rapidly the Global North decarbonizes its own economies. —Damilola Ogunbiyi, Time, 19 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for overshoot

• absolute
• arrowroot
• attribute
• bitterroot
• constitute
• convolute
• destitute
• disrepute
• dissolute
• execute
• institute
• involute

Kids Definition

overshoot

verb

over·​shoot ˌō-vər-ˈshüt 

overshot -ˈshät  ; overshooting

1

: to miss by going beyond

the plane overshot the runway

2

: to shoot over or beyond

overshot the target

Medical Definition

overshoot

noun

over·​shoot ˈō-vər-ˌshüt 

: a rapid change in electrical potential and reversal of polarity that occurs during an action potential when a cell or tissue is stimulated