overthink

verb

over·​think ˌō-vər-ˈthiŋk 

overthought ˌō-vər-ˈthȯt  ; overthinking

transitive + intransitive

: to think too much about (something) : to put too much time into thinking about or analyzing (something) in a way that is more harmful than helpful

overthink a situation/problem

someone who overthinks and worries too much

"I was a terrible actor when I went to New York. I was scared. I would overprepare, sometimes overthink a role."

—Paul Newman

For a while now, I've been finding current fiction hard to read: airlessly competent, relentlessly put-together, overthought.

—David Gates

overthinker noun

plural overthinkers

But the problem is I'm an overthinker. I contemplate and consider, deliberate and debate things small and large in my life. Simple things become complicated and easy decisions become complex.

—Alyssa Meier

Examples of overthink in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That's exactly what happened here, and the team didn't overthink it. —Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025

Vrabel doesn’t overthink it and picks the top offensive tackle with leadership traits and plugs him into his offensive front for the next decade. —Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2025

Like when the Chargers drafted Rashawn Slater, nobody should overthink this. —Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025

Use a scheduling tool if that helps, but don't overthink this part. —Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for overthink

• bobolink
• countersink
• bethink
• downlink
• groupthink
• hoodwink
• rethink
• uplink
• blink
• brink
• chink
• cinque