overspend

verb

over·​spend ˌō-vər-ˈspend How to pronounce overspend (audio)
overspent ˌō-vər-ˈspent How to pronounce overspend (audio) ; overspending
Synonyms of overspendnext

transitive verb

1
: to spend or use to excess : exhaust
2
: to exceed in expenditure

intransitive verb

: to spend beyond one's means
overspender noun

Examples of overspend in a Sentence

The studio clearly overspent on marketing, and the movie was still a flop.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ingoglia has been traveling the state over the last several months alleging that local governments have been overspending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. Lucy Marques, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026 Another narrative suggests software firms have overspent on AI and won’t reap sufficient returns on their investments. Medora Lee, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026 Don't miss these Milwaukee Public Schools overspent its budget by $46 million and now must figure out how to make up the difference. Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 9 Feb. 2026 The dashboards for all three agencies, which presented data through November, show that the Police and Fire Departments are on track to overspend their overtime budgets for the fiscal year. Austin Sanders, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overspend

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overspend was in 1593

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overspend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overspend. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.

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