overrun 1 of 2

verb

ˌō-vər-ˈrən How to pronounce overrun (audio)
Definition of overrunnext
1
as in to invade
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 to exceed
to go beyond the limit of he must not overrun his authority as governor

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to plague
to spread or swarm over in a troublesome manner ants are overrunning the garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

overrun

2 of 2

adjective

as in overgrown

Related Words

Dissimilar 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 overrun
Verb
The extreme rainfall overran the town’s drainage and transformed Nederland into an island. — Zachary Handlos, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 Protesters went on to torch police stations across the country, overrun national security headquarters in multiple governorates, storm torture chambers, and unearth archives of horror and abuse. — Abdelrahman Elgendy, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
Adjective
In towns such as Maienfeld, the influx of mass tourism gives the impression that even remote valleys have become overrun. — Jessi Jezewska Stevens, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 Amorim’s side were completely overrun, and lucky to only lose 2-0. — Michael Cox, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for overrun
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overrun
  1. invade
  2. exceed
  3. plague
  4. overgrown
  5. raid
  6. surpass
  7. infest
  8. verdant
Verb
  • Lavrov has traveled only infrequently to NATO member states since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and severe sanctions were imposed on Moscow.
    — Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • What makes this duty the more urgent is the fact, that the country so overrun is not our own, but ours is the invading army.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of invade
Verb
  • Chiquita Canyon’s garbage fire has exceeded 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or beyond boiling and has expanded from approximately 20 acres in 2022 to roughly 90 acres and continuing to grow.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The resulting structure can exceed the dimensions of any single module.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of exceed
Verb
  • Minnesota lawmakers with broad bipartisan support this year approved a new watchdog agency tasked with fighting fraud that's plagued social services programs in the state for years.
    — Caroline Cummings, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Previous administrations have been plagued by poor accountability on large-ticket projects, a problem the president’s critics say remains the case under Tinubu.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of plague
Adjective
  • In fall, leaves from a neighboring tree can blanket your yard, and overgrown branches or falling limbs can lead to disputes between property owners.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Nestled just to the southwest of downtown Dallas, Oak Cliff Nature Preserve is a 121-acre sanctuary with thick, overgrown vegetation and dirt paths to remind you that there is still plenty of natural beauty in this overgrown concrete jungle.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of overgrown
Verb
  • Agents raided his Ogden home, seizing six live pipe bombs, bomb-making gear, and two rifles.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026
  • In January, the FBI raided the Fulton County election office in Georgia and seized election materials in connection with the 2020 election.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of raid
Verb
  • The year was the hottest ever recorded at the time, after which it was surpassed by 2024.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2026
  • That model has changed, with one recent report indicating that bot and agent HTML traffic is surpassing human traffic.
    — Xin Guo, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of surpass
Verb
  • Because food can be scarce there and people fear theft, individuals will store rice in their dirt-floor homes, Wagner says, allowing close contact with the rats that infest the island.
    — Faye Flam, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026
  • These parasites primarily infest the eyes of cats and dogs but can sometimes make their way into human eyes inadvertently.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of infest
Adjective
  • My premium room, #203, was located on the corner overlooking the verdant garden.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Highlights include the verdant jungle at Cap Cana, the lush volcanic slopes above Saint-Pierre in Martinique, and the coral gardens off Kralendijk in Bonaire.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of verdant

Browse Nearby Words

overruling
overrun
overrunning
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overrun.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overrun. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on overrun

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about overrun

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of satiate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 SCRABBLE Dictionary

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All