overshoot

verb

over·​shoot ˌō-vər-ˈshüt 

overshot ˌō-vər-ˈshät  ; overshooting

transitive verb

1

: to pass swiftly beyond

2

: to shoot or pass over or beyond so as to miss

overshoot

ˈō-vər-ˌshüt 

noun

Synonyms

• break
• exceed
• outreach
• outrun
• overpass
• overreach
• overrun
• overstep
• surpass
• transcend

Examples of overshoot in a Sentence

The plane overshot the runway.

Sometimes we overshoot our time limits.

Recent Examples on the Web

Anyone who expected Brian Callahan to have the Titans in the playoffs in Year 1 probably overshot their expectations. —Nick Suss, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

But on fourth-and-7 near midfield, Rush overshot Jake Ferguson and the ball hit the turf, sealing Dallas’ fate as a loss. —Scott Thompson, Fox News, 10 Dec. 2024

At the start of practice, during the first round of 11-on-11 drills, Hurts overshot John Ross on a deep post that fell incomplete. —Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 29 July 2024

McKee overshot a receiver on his first attempt in the practice but completed his next two passes — including one that hit Ainias Smith in stride along the sideline. —Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

overshoot

verb

over·​shoot ˌō-vər-ˈshüt 

overshot -ˈshät  ; overshooting

1

: to miss by going beyond

the plane overshot the runway

2

: to shoot over or beyond

overshot the target

Medical Definition

overshoot

noun

over·​shoot ˈō-vər-ˌshüt 

: a rapid change in electrical potential and reversal of polarity that occurs during an action potential when a cell or tissue is stimulated