1
as in invaded
to enter for conquest or plunder
waves of barbarians overran the Roman Empire during its long decline
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in exceeded
to go beyond the limit of
he must not overrun his authority as governor
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in infested
to spread or swarm over in a troublesome manner
ants are overrunning the garden
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overran
Monday’s attack came four months after the RSF overran el-Fasher, the provincial capital of North Darfur after 18 months of siege.
—
ABC News, 24 Feb. 2026
Fighting rages on Since the RSF overran el-Fasher, which had been one of the army’s last strongholds in Darfur, fighting has recently concentrated in various areas of Kordofan.
—Noha Elhennawy, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
But word got out and large crowds of people overran the land and destroyed nearly everything Sutter had.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Sadat was forced to flee the Afghan capital with her family in 2021 after Taliban forces overran the city.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 16 Jan. 2026
The situation in el-Fasher was dire even before the RSF overran it this week.
—NPR, 30 Oct. 2025
The Jays’ leadoff hitter also reached safely against Yamamoto in the following two innings, first on an infield popup with a 100 percent catch probability that Freddie Freeman overran, then when Yamamoto drilled George Springer on the wrist.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
The Mexican Army attacked and overran the Texas defenses.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
In 1741, his forces overran Tabarka, enslaving many residents and sending shockwaves throughout the western Mediterranean.
—Miquel Ros, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
ABC News, 24 Feb. 2026
Fighting rages on Since the RSF overran el-Fasher, which had been one of the army’s last strongholds in Darfur, fighting has recently concentrated in various areas of Kordofan.
—Noha Elhennawy, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
But word got out and large crowds of people overran the land and destroyed nearly everything Sutter had.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Sadat was forced to flee the Afghan capital with her family in 2021 after Taliban forces overran the city.
—Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 16 Jan. 2026
The situation in el-Fasher was dire even before the RSF overran it this week.
—NPR, 30 Oct. 2025
The Jays’ leadoff hitter also reached safely against Yamamoto in the following two innings, first on an infield popup with a 100 percent catch probability that Freddie Freeman overran, then when Yamamoto drilled George Springer on the wrist.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
The Mexican Army attacked and overran the Texas defenses.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
In 1741, his forces overran Tabarka, enslaving many residents and sending shockwaves throughout the western Mediterranean.
—Miquel Ros, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overran
Verb
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Russia looks for a baby boom Despite being the injured, invaded party in the war, Ukraine is not alone in experiencing declining numbers of births.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Jalisco operatives have aggressively invaded the turf of other gangs, incorporated smaller criminal bands into its ranks and put legions of police officers, judges, prosecutors and politicians on its payroll.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After tallying wastewater and stormwater system needs listed by communities and states for the next 20 years, the EPA concluded the total needed to upgrade wastewater systems exceeded $300 billion over the next 20 years.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
22 Feb. 2026
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But the up and down, fluctuating tariffs around the world spooked American businesses, prompting a court challenge, contending that the president had exceeded his authority in imposing the tariffs.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Soiled, Moldy, or Infested Items Clothing or furniture that smells of mildew, has visible stains, or has been stored in a rodent- or insect-infested environment should be discarded, never donated.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Feb. 2026
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Houseplants that are already wilting, suffering from root rot, or infested with pests shouldn't be watered with rice water, notes Harryson.—
Lauren David,
Martha Stewart,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Clark left the city in 2020, a year after the FBI raided City Hall as part of the criminal investigation related to the sham lawsuit.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
But Andrew’s actions have apparently caught up to him, and with his home and former home being raided as well, there’s a chance that even more stuff could come up against Andrew.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The average price of new cars fluctuates in the span of a year, but in September, the average price of a new car surpassed $50,000—a record high, according to estimates by Kelley Blue Book.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
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City Hall’s expenses far surpassed its revenues for the past two years.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The violence captured on cellphone videos and shared around the globe – buses burning, gas stations attacked, military helicopters flying overhead – wasn’t just happening in remote rural towns long plagued by drug violence.—
Mary Beth Sheridan,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
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But controversial government efforts to redress inequalities have been plagued by corruption and cronyism.—
Michael H Gavshon,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the early morning of July 4, 2025, flooding triggered by unrelenting rain that overwhelmed the Guadalupe River swept away dozens of girls at the historic camp.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
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However, the scale of the programming often overwhelmed the logistics.—
The AI Insider,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overran.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overran. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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