OVERRUNS Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

overruns

verb

present tense third-person singular of overrun

as in invades

to enter for conquest or plunder waves of barbarians overran the Roman Empire during its long decline

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in exceeds

to go beyond the limit of he must not overrun his authority as governor

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in plagues

to spread or swarm over in a troublesome manner ants are overrunning the garden

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 overruns After Jamie Gittens overruns the ball, Jorrel Hato picks up the pieces and reworks the move out wide to Cole Palmer. — Mark Carey, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for overruns

Verb

Moisture invades your porch cushions and flooring, leading to the growth of mold, mildew, and algae.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
The devil invades a Georgetown home, and holy men have quite the job to do on a demonic little girl.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 1 July 2026

Definition of invades

Verb

The typical Black family holds just 15% of the wealth of the typical white family, and the average wealth gap between white and Hispanic families exceeds $1 million per household.

— Arellana Barela Levenson, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
This book argues that the damage of the Wilmington massacre and coup, already great, far exceeds the number of people murdered on November 10, 1898.

— CBS News, CBS News, 12 July 2026

Definition of exceeds

Verb

More bureaucracy — in the form of the new stand-alone Department of Gun Violence Reduction — while well-intentioned, isn’t the panacea to what plagues our city, especially as whoever is appointed head of this new department will enjoy too much independence from the mayor.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
Odd moment plagues fourth quarter As the Knicks held on to their fairly sizable lead, a fan ran onto the court, tried to take a selfie with Wembanyama but was quickly apprehended by security.

— Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 4 June 2026

Definition of plagues

Verb

In the character's final scene, as the DEA raids her rural compound, Laurie ties a rope around her neck and jumps from the roof of her home.

— Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
In the meantime, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) finally raids Laurie's property, thanks to the intel Rue had been giving them.

— Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 1 June 2026

Definition of raids

Verb

Historically, American women had higher rates of labor force participation than did women in most other countries, but Scandinavia now easily surpasses the United States by this metric.

— Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 14 July 2026
French President Emmanuel Macron is either tied with former President François Hollande as the most unpopular French president of the past half century, or surpasses him in unpopularity, depending on the poll used.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 July 2026

Definition of surpasses

Verb

That essence is slimy, stinky and unrelenting, as reflected in the mass of algae that infests the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

— Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 23 June 2026
The Lifeform spawns from a black, bacterial mold that infests the yellow wallpaper and moist carpets.

— Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026

Definition of infests

Verb

Furniture that is too large for a room overwhelms it; ensure your furniture is appropriate for your room size and the other pieces in that room.

— Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 July 2026
The visual storytelling is matched by clear, engaging prose that never overwhelms the images.

— Rebecca Coffey, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of overwhelms

Browse Nearby Words

overrunning

overruns

oversaw

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Style

“Overruns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overruns. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of overruns

verb

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