overreach

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈrēch How to pronounce overreach (audio)
Definition of overreachnext
1
as in to defeat
to get the better of through cleverness a real estate developer who is always trying to overreach his competitors, fair means or foul

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to exceed
to go beyond the limit of the mountain climbers overreached their abilities and paid for it dearly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of overreach Now, who can stop the president from overreaching? — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 Criticizing the Legislature has become a common theme among local governments, such as Boise and Meridian, who have often complained that state lawmakers overreach and step on local control. — Idaho Statesman, 15 June 2026 During the McCarthy era, overreaching laws, surveillance, and public and private sector reprisals ostensibly targeted alleged communists. — Bruce Schneier, The Conversation, 27 May 2026 At some point, the bracket creep is going to overreach into the point of diminishing marginal returns — dulling regular seasons and perhaps ultimately even eventually interest in the postseasons. — Kansas City Star, 24 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for overreach
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overreach
  1. defeat
  2. exceed
  3. thwart
  4. surpass
  5. deceive
  6. overcome
  7. outmaneuver
  8. outsmart
Verb
  • Martínez was a headache to both pitchers, hitting a grand slam against Sandlin and finishing with a career-high six RBIs as the Guardians defeated the Sox 8-2.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • But the technology for defeating ballistic missiles has advanced significantly since the Cold War.
    — Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • Denker said that 288,000 free tickets were requested through a lottery system — exceeding the 130,000 spectators whom organizers plan to host on each of the event's two days.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Kalshi's counsel will note the number exceeds the entire US gaming industry's annual revenue, which is presumably the point.
    — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of exceed
Verb
  • Gilligan’s Island, American television sitcom about a group of castaways on a desert island and the chaos that ensues as their attempts at rescue are constantly thwarted.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Recyclers have been thwarted by PVC’s chemical architecture, specifically its heavy chlorine content and dense cocktail of additives, which make melting and mechanical reprocessing almost impossible.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of thwart
Verb
  • With the first movie becoming Blumhouse’s biggest opening ever in 2023, despite a theatrical day-and-date on Peacock, followed by last year’s sequel breaking multiple box office records, the franchise has surpassed $530M globally.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Solar generation surged again in 2025 and, for the first time, surpassed wind as a source of global electricity.
    — Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of surpass
Verb
  • Such a lease, however, would disqualify a hospice from obtaining a license, and a provider would need to intentionally deceive inspectors to disguise a day office, experts said.
    — Jason Henry, Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Someone who has maintained an entire second family has demonstrated a willingness to deceive you over an extended period of time.
    — Jann Blackstone, Boston Herald, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of deceive
Verb
  • Prosecutors will have to overcome a few key hurdles in their case.
    — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Four firefighters were killed and a fifth was injured after they were overcome by a fast-moving wildfire in Colorado, near the Utah border, in June.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of overcome
Verb
  • For more than a decade, India’s leader Narendra Modi has seemed politically unassailable, presiding over a government that has outmaneuvered opponents, dominated public discourse and squeezed the space for dissent in the world’s biggest democracy.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 28 July 2026
  • But while in theory, a superhuman AI system might outmaneuver even the most secure containers, there are also actions AI companies could take right now to improve security.
    — Harry Booth, Time, 24 July 2026
Definition of outmaneuver
Verb
  • At a certain point, people won’t be able to outsmart advanced AI anymore; this is not just another opinion.
    — Tim Bajarin, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The problem, according to Hinton, is that humans will no longer be able to rely on outsmarting super-intelligent AI models.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of outsmart

Browse Nearby Words

overrating
overreach
overreached
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overreach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overreach. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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