1
as in invading
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 exceeding
to go beyond the limit of
he must not overrun his authority as governor
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in infesting
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 overrunning
His issues overrunning plays feel like ages ago.
—
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Russian forces seized the nuclear plant and its surrounding area in the early days of Moscow’s full-scale invasion, overrunning the plant in February 2022 and holding staff hostage.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
But using smaller rocks will not secure river banks from overrunning, said attorney Devon Lehman McCune during a hearing earlier this month in downtown federal court.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 21 Nov. 2025
In its siege of El Fasher, the RSF blocked aid and trade and intercepted all who tried to flee, overrunning a nearby camp for displaced people in April and killing hundreds, including nine nurses.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2025
Yet, there’s a way to do it right to show appreciation for the time and effort in hosting a tailgate—tents, food, drinks, and all—while not overrunning the host’s wishes.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Russian forces seized the nuclear plant and its surrounding area in the early days of Moscow’s full-scale invasion, overrunning the plant in February 2022 and holding staff hostage.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025
But using smaller rocks will not secure river banks from overrunning, said attorney Devon Lehman McCune during a hearing earlier this month in downtown federal court.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 21 Nov. 2025
In its siege of El Fasher, the RSF blocked aid and trade and intercepted all who tried to flee, overrunning a nearby camp for displaced people in April and killing hundreds, including nine nurses.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2025
Yet, there’s a way to do it right to show appreciation for the time and effort in hosting a tailgate—tents, food, drinks, and all—while not overrunning the host’s wishes.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overrunning
Verb
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The thymus is responsible for producing the body’s T cells, which help to target and destroy invading pathogens.—
Taylor Mitchell Brown,
Scientific American,
14 Feb. 2026
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The Pentagon worries that an expanding Chinese arsenal could be a prelude to invading Taiwan or an attempt to beat America's missile defenses, Panda said.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Ice accumulations of at least one-tenth of an inch are possible, with localized amounts exceeding one-quarter inch in parts of northern Michigan, according to the Weather Prediction Center winter weather forecast.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
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Some areas could see wind gusts approaching or exceeding 60 mph with relative humidity dropping near or below 10%, creating conditions where fires can spread rapidly.—
Callie Zanandrie,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The moths infesting a pantry are not the same as moths hiding in your closet.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
28 Oct. 2025
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Quagga mussels and golden mussels, fingernail-sized invaders infesting California waterways, clog the water pumps and pipes responsible for distributing water to millions of people and vast stretches of farmland.—
Pam Marrone,
Mercury News,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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On Tuesday, the PDF retaliated by raiding positions held by the MNRA.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
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But is raiding your retirement for a home purchase a financially sound idea?—
Becca Stanek,
TheWeek,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Pokémon is the world’s highest-grossing media franchise, surpassing even Disney and Star Wars.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
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And Gamson’s college buddy Fred Maher, a drummer for Lou Reed, Richard Hell, and the avant-funk band Material, who, like Gartside, saw how the new electronic pop was surpassing the musical adventurousness of his old post-punk comfort zone.—
Andy Cush,
Pitchfork,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Even cursory nods to the pandemic as the root cause of neighbors turning against neighbors aren’t explored so much as they’re acknowledged, as if viewers are somehow unaware of the polarization plaguing America.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
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The House passed a bipartisan housing bill that would enact new policies to boost housing supply and ease the affordability crisis plaguing the nation.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At 5 feet 6 inches tall, the then-20-year-old Angeleno was considered short for industry standards, but that didn't stop her from edging out frontrunners Yaya DaCosta and Amanda Swafford at the finale in Japan — or from taking bold risks, like posing with a tarantula crawling across her face.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Feb. 2026
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Another initiative involves designing specialized robots (not humanoid) capable of crawling through mud and water to clear underground tunnels.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overrunning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overrunning. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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