overstep

verb

over·​step ˌō-vər-ˈstep How to pronounce overstep (audio)
overstepped; overstepping; oversteps

Examples of overstep in a Sentence

the principal overstepped her authority in ordering everyone to remain in the unheated school
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.
Republican senators praised her leadership, especially her commitment to rolling back Biden-era regulations and guidance on gender-identity rights, which Lucas has argued overstepped the commission's authority. Arkansas Online, 19 June 2025 During his first term, HHS issued a regulation that would have required drug makers to include their list prices in TV ads, but a federal judge nixed the effort, saying the agency had overstepped its authority. Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 17 June 2025 Trump deployed the California National Guard and the US Marines to quell protests, a move decried by California Governor Gavin Newsom as overstepping bounds. R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025 California is suing the Trump administration, accusing the president of invoking emergency powers to overstep his constitutional authority. Martha McHardy Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for overstep

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overstep was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Overstep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overstep. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

overstep

verb
over·​step -ˈstep How to pronounce overstep (audio)
: to step over or beyond : exceed
overstepped their authority

More from Merriam-Webster on overstep

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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