as in exceeding
to go beyond the limit of
the principal overstepped her authority in ordering everyone to remain in the unheated school
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Recent Examples of overstepping
McPartlin will play Detective Mike Garner, a pigheaded CRASH detective who quickly shuts Bosch down for overstepping.
—
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026
The mechanic who changes your oil and mentions that your brake pads are worn is not overstepping.
—Peter Gunderman, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026
Sanchez-Lopez’s attorney, however, argues the sheriff is overstepping his authority.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 16 Mar. 2026
The conflict centers on the City Council adding $13 million to the JAA's budget for developing Cecil Airport, which some view as overstepping its authority.
—David Bauerlein, Florida Times-Union, 6 Mar. 2026
The federal and state governments argue that such environmental harm is not real and that the lower court was overstepping its authority.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2026
What To Know State officials describe the portal as a mechanism for documenting incidents in which federal officers may be overstepping their authority, including allegations of excessive force, unlawful detentions, improper searches or actions that appear to violate constitutional protections.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
Beyond offering help, further conversation with him about his belongings is overstepping.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
More important, though, is the fact that the judge who posited that hordes of deserters could follow Vovchenko’s example seems to be overstepping his role.
—Air Mail, 25 Oct. 2025
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 25 Mar. 2026
The mechanic who changes your oil and mentions that your brake pads are worn is not overstepping.
—Peter Gunderman, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2026
Sanchez-Lopez’s attorney, however, argues the sheriff is overstepping his authority.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 16 Mar. 2026
The conflict centers on the City Council adding $13 million to the JAA's budget for developing Cecil Airport, which some view as overstepping its authority.
—David Bauerlein, Florida Times-Union, 6 Mar. 2026
The federal and state governments argue that such environmental harm is not real and that the lower court was overstepping its authority.
—Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2026
What To Know State officials describe the portal as a mechanism for documenting incidents in which federal officers may be overstepping their authority, including allegations of excessive force, unlawful detentions, improper searches or actions that appear to violate constitutional protections.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025
Beyond offering help, further conversation with him about his belongings is overstepping.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025
More important, though, is the fact that the judge who posited that hordes of deserters could follow Vovchenko’s example seems to be overstepping his role.
—Air Mail, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overstepping
Verb
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The takeover will continue until the district meets criteria set by the Texas Education Agency, which include exceeding the state and/or regional average for meeting-grade-level proficiency in reading and math, and ensuring the district has no schools unacceptable ratings for multiple years.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Mar. 2026
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Fletcher said Sion Power’s lithium-metal cells are engineered to deliver energy densities exceeding 500 watt-hour per kilogram, compared with approximately 300-350 Wh/kg for today’s most advanced lithium-ion technology.—
Michael Wayland,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The eight steals is the most by a Notre Dame player in an NCAA Tournament game, surpassing the previous mark of seven by Skylar Diggins and Hidalgo’s coach, Niele Ivey.—
Joe Reedy,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
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Fort Collins has broken its March record *2 days in a row*, now surpassing its 2012 record (81F) by 6 degrees.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overstepping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overstepping. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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