overreach

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled over-reach

US /ˌoʊvərˈritʃ/ UK /ˌəʊvəˈriːtʃ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to extend or exert oneself beyond a safe or proper limit

The empire began to overreach, stretching its armies too thin to defend.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to extend or exert oneself... overextendoverstretchexceed overstep outsmart

Opposites

underreach

Word family

Derived forms overreaching

Related forms reach

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

Etymology

From over- ('beyond') plus reach, from Old English ræcan ('to reach, stretch out'). Means to reach beyond a safe or proper limit.

ofer Old English ræcan Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# overreach

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˌoʊvərˈritʃ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌəʊvəˈriːtʃ/

## Meanings
1. to extend or exert oneself beyond a safe or proper limit

## Examples
- The empire began to overreach, stretching its armies too thin to defend.

## Synonyms
- overextend
- overstretch
- exceed
- overstep
- outsmart

## Antonyms
- underreach

## Derived Forms
- overreaching

## Related Forms
- reach

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ofer
- Root: ræcan

## Etymology
From over- ('beyond') plus reach, from Old English ræcan ('to reach, stretch out'). Means to reach beyond a safe or proper limit.

## AI Etymology
Overreach comes from over- ('beyond') plus reach, from Old English ræcan ('to reach, stretch out'). Means to reach beyond a safe or proper limit. The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a verb and noun, it means "to extend or exert oneself beyond a safe or proper limit", so the modern sense keeps the older action or relation visible. Relevant historical forms include Old English ofer and Old English ræcan. Derivative forms include overreaching; related words include reach.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown