Thesaurus results for OVERREACH

overreach

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈrēch

Definition of overreach

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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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

Verb

The defending men’s singles champion is Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, who defeated Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the gold medal match in 2024; the defending women’s champion is China’s Zheng Qinwen, who defeated Croatia’s Donna Vekić.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Drones alone cannot defeat the Russian army, and the culture of Silicon Valley cannot supplant the need for military discipline, Syrsky argued in a column for Militarnyi, a Ukrainian publication focused on defense.

— Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026

Definition of defeat

Verb

Ukraine has developed drones and electronic warfare to thwart nearly all attack drones but not fast-moving missiles.

— Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 22 July 2026
Indian troops were deployed to thwart Chinese advances but were reportedly inadequately supplied, underprepared, and overwhelmed.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 July 2026

Definition of thwart

Verb

The runner-up finish marked Gogel’s best career result on the PGA Champions Tour, surpassing a pair of third-place finishes (2026 Dick’s Open; 2025 Constellation Furyk and Friends).

— Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
In South Korea last year, the number of divorces among couples who had been married at least 30 years surpassed divorces among younger couples who were married less than five years – for the first time ever.

— Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 26 July 2026

Definition of surpass

Verb

Mora filed a cross-complaint against Giumarra alleging he was deceived by the company and its representatives into signing a contract that made false claims about the fruit, including that it was patented by Giumarra.

— Robert Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
All the wig and makeup work put into deceiving their people isn’t needed in the first place.

— Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of deceive

Verb

The team overcame significant injuries to finish 12-5 last season and win a playoff game as Shanahan finished fifth in voting for NFL Coach of the Year.

— Josh Dubow, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026
For example, while Messi may be today’s superstar, he was overcome by a coordinated system; so investing in the organization is critical.

— Bhaskar Chakravorti, Fortune, 25 July 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

The family-friendly mythological comedy centers on eight ordinary mortals who must combine their wit and courage to outsmart formidable deities, earning the legendary status of the Eight Immortals.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 July 2026
The Fan, the season-long unsub obsessed with one-upping and outsmarting his idol.

— Joyce Eng, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026

Definition of outsmart

Browse Nearby Words

overrating

overreach

overreached

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“Overreach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overreach. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of overreach

verb

Example Sentences

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