overthink

verb over·think \ ˌō-vər-ˈthiŋk \

|Updated on: 14 Aug 2018

Definition of overthink

overthought play \ˌō-vər-ˈthȯt\; overthinking

transitive + intransitive

: to think too much about (something) : to put too much time into thinking about or analyzing (something) in a way that is more harmful than helpful

overthink a situation/problem

someone who overthinks and worries too much

"I was a terrible actor when I went to New York. I was scared. I would overprepare, sometimes overthink a role."
—Paul Newman

For a while now, I've been finding current fiction hard to read: airlessly competent, relentlessly put-together, overthought.
—David Gates

—

overthinker

noun, plural overthinkers

- But the problem is I'm an overthinker. I contemplate and consider, deliberate and debate things small and large in my life. Simple things become complicated and easy decisions become complex.
- —Alyssa Meier

Recent Examples of overthink from the Web

Without overthinking things, that opens up the Big 12 race to at least one other contender, with TCU the likeliest to make a run at the Sooners’ ongoing ownership of the conference.

— paul myerberg, USA TODAY, "Clemson, not Alabama, is the safest bet to win a conference title in 2018," 19 June 2018
At this late stage of his career, Kratz said his primary goal is not to overthink things at the plate.

— tom haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Catcher Erik Kratz has made impact, offensively and defensively, since joining Brewers," 4 June 2018
The majority of people tend towards overthinking some things and under thinking others.

— katie parsons, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Holistic mental-health treatments can help, advocates say," 26 Apr. 2018
What the president needs to do is not overthink it.

— Fox News, "Ingraham: Democrats racing to the left," 28 June 2018
Conservationists can sometimes overthink recovery efforts, Pimm said.

— christopher torchia, The Christian Science Monitor, "Underdogs no more: African wild dogs make comeback in Mozambique," 22 June 2018
Conservationists can sometimes overthink recovery efforts, Pimm said.

— Washington Post, "African wild dogs make comeback at Mozambican wildlife park," 22 June 2018
There are better ways to spend your daylight hours than by overthinking your outfit.

— ana colon, Glamour, "Matching Sets Are Your No-Fail Solution to Lazy-Day Dressing," 29 May 2018
Turns out the secret to a great puzzlebox Cloverfield movie is not overthinking it.

— tom philip, GQ, "Hulu Might Be the Best Movie Streaming Website," 3 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'overthink.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.