overreach
verb
over·reach
ˌō-vər-ˈrēch 
ˌō-və-
overreached; overreaching; overreaches
1
: to reach above or beyond : overtop
2
: to defeat (oneself) by seeking to do or gain too much
3
: to get the better of especially in dealing and bargaining and typically by unscrupulous or crafty methods
1
of a horse
: to strike the forefoot with the front part of the hind foot
2
a
: to go to excess
b
3
: to overreach oneself
Synonyms
Examples of overreach in a Sentence
She overreaches in her latest book, and her argument is not convincing.
The company overreached itself and ran out of money after one year.
Recent Examples on the Web
Simpler requirements, such as mandatory labeling, could fix portions of the law that are overreaching.
—
Andi Shae Napier, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 3 Oct. 2024
Much of the town’s legal response, according to public documents, rests on the idea that the attorney general has only the ability to withhold funds as specified in the MBTA Communities Act, and that any steps beyond that would be overreach.
—Andrea Riquier, USA TODAY, 1 Oct. 2024
The nonprofit groups, American Encore and America First Policy Institute have also contested other provisions in the manual, arguing that Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes’ rules have overreached—a stance supported by Republican members of the state Legislature.
—Ray Stern, The Arizona Republic, 29 Sep. 2024
Weighed down by heavy debts, an aging population, and an overreaching state, China’s economy has fallen off the miracle path.
—Ruchir Sharma, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overreach 
Andi Shae Napier, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 3 Oct. 2024
Much of the town’s legal response, according to public documents, rests on the idea that the attorney general has only the ability to withhold funds as specified in the MBTA Communities Act, and that any steps beyond that would be overreach.
—Andrea Riquier, USA TODAY, 1 Oct. 2024
The nonprofit groups, American Encore and America First Policy Institute have also contested other provisions in the manual, arguing that Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes’ rules have overreached—a stance supported by Republican members of the state Legislature.
—Ray Stern, The Arizona Republic, 29 Sep. 2024
Weighed down by heavy debts, an aging population, and an overreaching state, China’s economy has fallen off the miracle path.
—Ruchir Sharma, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overreach
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overreach.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near overreach
Cite this Entry
“Overreach.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overreach. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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Medical Definition
overreach
intransitive verb
over·reach
-ˈrēch
of a horse
: to strike the toe of the hind foot against the heel or quarter of the forefoot
Legal Definition
overreach
transitive verb
over·reach
ˌō-vər-ˈrēch
: to make (someone or something) the subject of overreaching
this uncounseled defendant was…overreached by the prosecution's submission of misinformation to the court—Townsend v. Burke, 334 U.S. 736 (1948)
Townsend v. Burke, 334 U.S. 736 (1948)must determine whether it overreached privilege—National Law Journal
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