English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
verb

overreach

Quiz me More like this

Overreach (verb) means to stretch out further than is normal or sensible.

verb
1
To stretch out further than is normal or sensible.
2
(law) To end someone's claim on a property by selling or mortgaging it, so that their right passes instead to the money paid for it.
3
To go further than is proper, or further than one is able; to overextend oneself.
"Professionals must remind themselves not to overreach the extent of their data and not to substitute values for scientifically supported facts, and must know when to inform fact-finders about the extent of the limits to knowledge." — Steven N. Sparta, Introduction (2012)
4
Of a horse: to strike the heel of a forefoot with the toe of a hindfoot.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like overreach.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Test yourself on “overreach” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Etymology

The verb is from Middle English overrechen (“to rise above; to extend beyond or over; to encroach; to catch, overtake; to reach; to obtain wrongfully (?); to take up (a book) to revise it”) [and other forms], equivalent to over- + reach; the noun is derived from the verb or from the phrase to reach over.

Related words

Rhymes for overreach

See all rhymes for overreach →

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of overreach?
"overreach" (verb) means to stretch out further than is normal or sensible.
What is another word for overreach?
Other words for "overreach" include circumvent, outsmart, outwit, beat, outfox.
What are the different meanings of overreach?
"overreach" has 3 main meanings: 1. To stretch out further than is normal or sensible; 2. (law) To end someone's claim on a property by selling or mortgaging it, so that their right passes instead to the money paid for it; 3. To go further than is proper, or further than one is able; to overextend oneself.

People also searched

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · etymology from Wiktionary