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

The keycaps are well stabilized but lack enough contouring, leading me to overshoot sometimes while touch-typing. —PCMAG, 16 Feb. 2025

The actor/pilot who is well-known for crashing his plane onto a golf course and overshooting a runway is trying to persuade us to buy a car? —Paul Sullivan, Sun Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2025

The space around a runway, known as the runway safety area, is intended to provide unobstructed space for aircraft that may overshoot, undershoot or veer off a runway during landing. —River Akira Davis, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025

Yet highly active retail traders in aggregate are prone to herding and as a group fast-money amateurs can overshoot and make the tape more fragile at extremes. —Michael Santoli, CNBC, 1 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for overshoot

• absolute
• arrowroot
• attribute
• bitterroot
• constitute
• convolute
• destitute
• disrepute
• dissolute
• execute
• institute
• involute

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